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PRINCE  MESSI  AH’$ 


CLAIMS  TO 


DOMINION 


OVER  ALL  GOVERNMENTS  : 

AND  THE 

DISREGARD  OF  HIS  AUTHORITY  BY  THE  UNITED  STATES, 

IN  THE  FEDERAL  CONSTITUTION. 

4  *  >'  X 

INSCRIBED  TO  THE  AMERICAN  BIBLE  SOCIETY  BY  THE  AUTHOR. 


“  Until  the  Messiah  the  Prince,  shall  be  seven  weeks,  and  threescore  and  two  weeks.” — Dan 
“  Jesus  Chrigt — Prince  of  the  kings  of  the  earth.” — John. 


BY  JAMES  R.  WILLSON,  D.  D. 

/i 


rORMER  PASTOR  OF  THE  REFORMED  PRESBYTERIAN  CONGREGATION  OF 

'  ,  r  •• 

ALBANY,  NOW  PROFESSOIl^F  THEOLOGY  IN  THE  SEMINARY  OF  THE 
REFORMED  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  CINCINNATI. 

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CINCINNATI  : 

PRINTED  BY  SMITH  AND  CHIPMAN, 

CORNER  OF  FOURTH  &  WALNUT  STREETS. 


1848. 


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TO  AMERICAN  POLITICIANS, 


Gentlemen:— 


The  wish  of  many,  renders  any  apology  for  the 


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iuu.iuaiivn  _  political 

the  states  and  use  the  balances  of  political  power,  frequently  inquire, 
why  Covenanters  do  not  avail  themselves  of  the  privilege  of  the  exec  in  > 
franchise,  and  why  they  take  no  part  in  the  great  civ il  movements- 
of  the  age  ?  If  such  proper  inquiries  are  prompted  by  a  desire  to 
obtain  satisfactory  information,  let  the  inquirer  have  the  kindness  to  ex¬ 
amine  these  pages,  and  give  to  the  arguments  and  facts  a  conbiaeiatu  n 

proportionate  to  the  importance  oi  the  subject.  . 

Animated  with  the  love  of  truth,  as  presented  in  these  essays,  tne  author 
first  preached  the  doctrine  and  substance  they  contain,  in  the  c  it\  ol 
Albany  in  1832,  before  the  Heads  of  department  and  some  members 
of  the  Legislature  of  N.  York.  In  their  present  form,  they  appeared^  ns 
fore  the  public,  under  the  auspices  of  the  Albany  Historical  Society .  i  he 
doctrine  which  they  teach  did  not  fail  to  bring  upon  the  Author  the  popioar 
indignation.  In  the  Legislature,  an  occasion  for  censuring  him  was 

found  in  the  following  resolution  by  Mr.  Moulton. 

Whereas  the  Rev.  James  R.  YV  illson  of  this  city,  lias  wanionl}  assaiu  e 
the  good  name  of  the  revered  Washington,  and  insulted  the  memory  oi 
the  Illustrious  Jefferson;  and  whereas,  by  the  publishing  of  an  odious 
pamphlet  purporting  to  be  a  religious  essay ,  he  has  unnccessanly  encua- 
vored  to  detract  from  the  fair  fame  of  many  of  the  benefactors  of  our 
country :  and  whereas,  he  has  further  attacked  individual  members  oi 
this  house — Therefore.  Resolved — That  so  much  oi  the  resolution  cn  this 
house,  passed  on  the  first  day  of  its  session,  relating  to  the  opening  oi 
this  house  by  prayer,  as  may  include  Rev.  Dr.  VWlson,  be,  ana  me  sane • 
is  hereby  rescinded,  so  far  as  relates  to  that  individual, ^and  that  the  ciriiv 
of  ibis  house  transmit  to  him  a  copy  of  this  resolution.”  # 

For  nearly  two  days  together  he  was  the  subject  of  legislative  a. ruse. 
Thi  mob,  imitating  the  example,  spit  in  his  face  in  the  streets  and  burn¬ 
ed  him  in  effigy.  On  the  evening  appointed  for  the  burning  oi  his  house, 
some  of  his  friends  concealing  the  designs  of  the  enraged  populace,  reques¬ 
ted  him  to  accompany  them  to  the  country  :  and  compliance  alone  saved 
his  house  from  the  flames.  Political  papers  throughout  the  slate,  and 
in  many  parts  of  the  New  England  States,  attacked  Lis  character  and  ap¬ 
plied  the  most  abusive  ephithets.  The  Albany  Argus  states,  “  YVe  per¬ 
ceive  that  a  religio  politico  sermon,  or  discourse,  has  been  published  and 
offered  for  sale  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  YY  illson,  of  this  city.  It  is  little  else  than 
the  merest  attempt,  under  a  blasphemous  perversion  and 'misapprehen- 
t  ion  of  Scripture,  to  exalt  political  Anti-Masonry.  It  is  a  production 
worthy  of  the  proscriptions  and  exclusions  of  a  dark  and  bigot  age,  and  a 
fit  auxiliary  in  the  promotion  of  a  political  combination  as  profligate  as 
any  that  disgraces  the  annals  of  history. 


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4 


On  these  abusive  measures  it  is  needless  to  make  any  comment.  By 
solicitation,  the  Author  permits  these  essays  to  appear  again  before  the 
religious  and  political  world  for  their  candid  judgment. 

If  they  are  stamped  with  the  disapprobation  of  wicked  politicians  and 
their  servile  adherents;  the  Author  is  still  firm  in  the  faith,  and  willing 
to  endure  all  the^  obloquy,  that  Messiah’s  peaceful  kingdom  may  be  ad¬ 
vanced — that  the  political  period  may  speedily  be  ushered  forth,  when 
the  kingdoms  which  are  now  convulsed  in  the  Old  World,  and  the 
republican  governments  of  the  New,  shall  be  settled  on  the  stablefounda- 
ticn  of  Christianity ;  when  Jew  and  Gentile  shall  hail  the  Prince  Messiah, 
and  God’s  redeemed  shall  join  the  loud  acclaim,  “  Alleluia  for  the  Lord 
God  Omnipotent  reigneth.” 

By  .permission  of  the  Author, 

I  have  the  honor 

to  subscribe  myself 

Yours  Truly. 

J.  B.  WILLIAMS. 


PRINCE  MESSIAH. 

i  ESSAY  t 

r  •  -  - <r  <9  0  ^  >  11  * - -  " 


THE  BIBLE  CLAIMS  OF  MESSIAH  TO  AUTHORITY  OVER  ALL 

GOVERNMENTS. 

The  Lord  Jesus  Christ  exercises,  as  Mediator,  the  offices  of  prophet, 
priest  and  King.  The  church  bore  ample  testimony  to  his  prophetic  of¬ 
fice,  in  the  early  ages  of  Christianity,  in  the  writings  of  the  Fathers,  in 
their  suffering  to  the  death  for  holding  the  truth  of  the  Bible,  to  be  a  rev¬ 
elation  from  heaven. 

To  the  doctrine  of  his  priestly  office,  his  servants  bore  witness  in  the 
16th  century,  when  justification  through  faith,  without  the  works  of  the 
law,  was  taught  and  illustrated.  The  conflict  then  was  between  the  her¬ 
esies  of  the  Papists  respecting  pardon  by  indulgences,  penances,  pil¬ 
grimages  and  purgatory,  on  the  one  side ;  and  the  meritorious  offering  of  the 
Son  of  ;God  for  sinners  on  the  other.  Then  was  the  second  great  article 
of  the  church’s  creed  settled.  For  the  truth  of  the  priesthood  of  Christ, 
many  thousands  of  saints  laid  down  their  lives,  not  counting  them  dear. 
The  witnesses  must  finish  their  testimony,  by  bearing  witness,  and  dying 
to  seal  it,  for  the  princely  honor  and  glory  of  him  who  “  is  Lord  of  lords, 
and  Prince  of  the  kings  of  earth.”  To  the  headship  of  the  Mediator  over 
the  church  as  her  only  Lord,  in  opposition  to  that  of  the  Pope  or  of  any 
earthly  potentate,  our  Fathers  in  Great  Britain,  nobly  bore  testimony  in 
the  pulpit,  by  the  press,  on  the  scaffold,  at  the  stake  of  the  martyr,  and  in 
the  field  of  battle  at  Airsmoss  and  Both  well  Bridge. 

By  the  arguments  which  have  been  conducted  in  Europe  and  America 
against  the  despotic  governments  of  the  former,  and  the  infidel  regime  of 
the  latter,  the  church  has  been  asserting  the  claims  of  her  glorious  Lord, 
to  the  homage  of  the  commonwealths  of  the  nations.  Tyrants  are  yet  on 
theii  thrones,  and  unholy  republics  refuse  to  acknowledge  Him  as  “  Lord 
of  all.”  . 

The  saints  know  this,  mourn  over  it,  and  continue  to  plead  with  the 
nations,  that  Mssiah’s  claims  may  no  longer  be  set  aside.  To  this  topic, 
the  following  pages  are  consecrated.  0  Lord  Jesus,  by  thy  word  and 
Spirit  aid  the  writer,  that  he  may  ably,  faithfully  and  successfully  plead 
for  the  glory  of  thy  kingdom  that  ruleth  over  all  1 


6 


The  doctrine  which  vre  affirm  is  briefly  and  perspicuously  summed  up  in 
the  following  text:  Phil,  ii .  9 — 11.  “  God  hath  also  highly  exalted  him 
and  given  him  a  name  which  is  above  every  name  ;  that  at  the  name  of  Jesus 
every  knee  should  bow  of  things  in  heaven,  and  things  in  earth,  and  things 
under  the  earth;  and  that  every  tongue  should  confess,  that  Jesus  is  Lord, 
to  the  glory  of  God  the  Father.’5  Jesus  is  a  Mediatorial  title,  the  God- 
man  Redeemer  is  Jesus:  “Thoushalt  call  his  name  Jesus;  for  he  shall 
save  his  people  from  their  sins,”  Math.  i.  21.  In  this  character  only  can 
he  he  exalted  ;  for  as  God  he  is  naturally  and  essentially,  “  over  all  and 
blessed  forever.”  Rom.  ix,  5,  “  Being  in  the  form  of  God,  he  thought  it 

no  robbery  to  be  equal  with  God.”  Phil.  iL  6.  By  him  as  efficient  all 
things  were  created.  John  i.  3.  “He  upholds  all  things  by  the  word  of 
liis  power.”  Heb.  i.  3.  Therefore  as  creating  and  sustaining  all  things, 
he  is  in  right  of  his  Godhead,  “  the  blessed  and  only  potentate.”  1.  Tim. 


The  princely  authority  of  Messiah,  to  which  we  refer  in  this  essay,  is 
what  divines  call  his  “  economical -government”  and  not  that  which  is 
denominated  his  “  essential  kingdom .” 

1.  Its  origin,  .  We  know  of  but  two  classes  of  inteligent  creatures, 
men  and  angels,  who  constituted  the  two  branches  (as  Dr.  Owen  calls 
them,)  of  the  providential  kingdom  of  Jehovah.  Both  of  these  states  of 
God’s  general  government4  became  disordered,  by  acts  of  open  rebellion. 
*•  Angels  who  kept  not  their  first  estate”  erected  the  standard  of  revolt, 
and  man  joined  them  in  their  opposition  to  God’s  dominion.  Out  of  this 
disordered  providential  empire,  the  Lord  had  determined  to  form,  under 
one  head,  a  consolidated  arid  permanent  kingdom.  Christ  Jesus,  Ills 
Eternal  Son,  is  made  the  head  of  this  commonweal  th  of  Israel.  For  this 
purpose  he  was  set  up  from  everlasting: — “  That  in  the  dispensation  of 
the  fullness  of  times,  he  might  gather  together  in  one,  all  things,  both 
which  are  in  heaven,  and  which  are  on  earth,  even  in  him.”  Eph.  i.  10. 

As  this  kingdom  is  placed  under  Christ,  so  power  is  delegated  to 
him,  in  the  character  of  Mediator,  that  he  may  collect  together,  and  edu¬ 
cate  the  citizens  of  this  great  commonwealth  of  Israel.  Hence,  the  king¬ 
dom  does  not  originate  in  the  essential  Lordship  of  the  Son  of  God,  but  in  the 
decree  of  the  Father  appointing  him  as  his  “  Servant  whom  he  upholds.” 
Isa.  xlii.  1.  To  which  the  Holy  Ghostrefers,  when  speaking  by  David. 
Psal.  ii.  6 — 7.  “I  have  set  my  king,  &c. — I  will  declare  the  decree.' 


The  common  conscience  of  heathen,  as  well  as  christain  nations  ap¬ 
proves  of  personal  and  social  subjection  to  the  government  of  God.  Bui 
it  is  only  in  the  conscience,  enlightened  by  the  gospel,  that  the  dominion 
of  Jehovah,  as  God-man,  is  recognized,  and  that  the  refusal  of  persons 
and  nations  to  obey  him,  is  condemned.  In  the  Bible  alone,  the  doctrine 
of  his  Mediatorial  investiture  with  universal  Lordship  is  revealed.  It  is  the 
act  of  God  the  Father,  that  invests  him  with  the  authority  over  all  things. 
*•  Thou  madest  him  to  have  dominion  over  the  work  of  thy  hands:  thou 
hast  put  all  things  under  his  feet.”  Psal.yiii.  6.  The  person  here  ad¬ 
dressed  is  God  the  Father,  and  the  person  spoken  of  is  the  Son  as  Media¬ 
tor ;  as  we  learn  from  its  application  to  him  in  the  New  Testament.- — 
•*  For  he  hath  put  ail  things  under  his  feet.  But  when  he  saith,  ail  thing* 
are  put  under  him,  it  is  manifest  that  he  is  excepted  who  did  put  all 
things  under  him.”  1.  Cor.xv.21.  The  only  exception  is  the  person 
of  the  Father.  The  apostle  Paul,  by  the  Holy  Ghost.  Hcb.  ii.  6 — S.  ap- 


7 


plies  the  text  in  Psal.  viii,  to  Jesus.  "But  one  in  a  certain  place, 
testified  saying,  Thou  crownest  him  with  glory  and  power,  and  didst 
se  t  him  over  the  works  of  the  hands ;  thou  hast  put  all  things  in  subjec¬ 
tion  under  his  feet,  for  in  that  he  put  all  in  subjection  under  him,  he  left 
nothing  that  is  not  put  under  him— but  we  see  Jesus,  &c.”  ^ 

•  In  human  nature,  he  was  formally  inaugurated  “Lord  of  all,  at  Ins 
ascension  fromM  ount  Olivet,  forty  days  after  his  resurrection  "Who, 

( Je«us)  “  sat  down  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Majesty  on  high.'  This  had 
been  predicted  ages  before.  “  He,”  (Christ,)  “  shall  bruise  thy  head. ’  Gen. 
iii.  ID.  “  Lift  up  your  head,  0  ye  gates  ;  and  be  ye  lifted  up,  ye  everlast- 
intr  doors,  and  the  King  of  Glory  shall  come  in.  Paul.  xxiv.  7.  An¬ 
gels  ascended  with  him  in  his  triumphant  entrance  into  the  third  hea¬ 
vens  "and  when  the  Ancient  of  days  did  sit,  whose  garment  is  white  as 
snow  and  the  hair  of  his  head  like  the  pure  wool— thousand  thousands 
ministered  unto  him,  and  ten  thousand  times  ten  thousand  stood  belore 
him.”  These  are  the  mighty  and  glorious  angelic  thrones.  Lord  Jesus, 

how  great  is  the  glory  of  thy  kingdom  !  . 

At  his  induction  to  the  throne  of  the  universe,  he  received  an  unction 
oflov  from  the  Holy  Spirit.  "Therefore  God,  thy  God,  hath  annointed 
thee  with  the  oil  of  gladness,  above  thy  fellows.”  Then  it  was  that  In- 
received  gifts  for  men,  that  God  the  Lord  might  dwell  among  them.  The 
Father  reigns  by  him,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  in  him,  over  the  whole  moral 

empire  of  the  God  head.  ,  ,  _ 

The  book  of  the  divine  decrees,  of  the  law,  and  of  the  covenant  of  grace 
was  put  into  his  hand,  at  his  formal  and  solemn  investiture  with  the  do¬ 
minion  of  all  creation.  “  I  beheld,  and  lo,  in  the  midst  of  the  throne 
stood  a  Lamb  as  it  had  been  slain,  and  He  came  and  took  the  book  out. 
of  the  ri°ht  hand  of  him  that  sat  on  the  throne.  H tv.  v.  6  1  ■  1  tiu> 

the  whole  administration  of  the  kingdom  ol  providence  -the  appucatioi, 
of  the  Lord’s  law  to  every  moral  subject,  and  the  dispensation  of  the  bless-' 
iiws  of  the  new  covenant  to  all  the  redeemed,  were  intrusted  to  Prince 

Messiah,  .  .  . 

11.  Ht  is  well  qualified  for  the  administration  of  tins  kingdom,  vast. 


complicated  and  glorious.  .  , 

1.  He  is  wise.  “  Christ — is  the  wisdom  of  God/  1.  Cor.  2.  24.  1 

wisdom,  dwell  withprudence,  and  find  out  knowledge  of  witty  inventions. 
Bv  me  kings  reign.”  Prov.  viii.  12 — 15.  The  knowledge  of  Christ  is 
infinite — °In  whom  are  hid  all  the  treasures  of  wisdom  and  knowl¬ 
edge.”  Col.  ii.  3.  .  ,  . 

2.  Ht  is  righteous.  “  The  sceptre  of  thy  kingdom  is  a  right  sceptre. 

“  The  righteous  Lord  loveth  judgment.”  ;;  Justice  and  judgment  are  the 
habitation  of  thy  throne.”  Psal.  Ixxxix.  14.  The  person  to  whom  the. 
church  here  speaks,  is  Messiah,  the  Lord  of  Hosts; 

3.  He  is  gracious.  Prov.  viii.  31.  Jesus  says,  “  My  delights  were 
with  the  sons  of  men.”  He  manifests  his  benevolence  in  the  arrange¬ 
ments  of  the  material  and  moral  universe,  which  he  has  created  for  im¬ 
parting  enjoyment  to  the  numerous  ranks  of  sentient  beings.  In  provi¬ 
dence,  too,  he  sends  rain  and  fruitful  seasons.  But  his  having  delighted 
from  the  beginning,  ere  ever  the  earth  was,  in  the  sons  of  men;  notwith¬ 
standing  their  debasement  by  sin,  is  benevolence  ineffable.  **  The  King  ot 
Israel  is  a  merciful  King.”  When  he  devoted  himself  in  the  covenant, 
to  die  as  a  ransom  for  our  sins,  it  was  with  delight.  “  While  we  weiv 


8 


jet  sinners,  Christ  died  for  us.”  Bo.  v.  8.  A  king  ought  to  be  merciful 
Oui  king  is  infinite  m  his  compassion.  Hisloving  kindness  is  expeciated 
m  all  parts  of  his  dominions,  except  the  realms  of  eternal  darkness. 

.  He  is  omnipotent.  “  Unto  us  a  child  is  born,  and  unto  us  a  Son  i 
«ven  and  the  government  shaU  be  upon  his  shoulders;  and  his  name 
ilwll  be  called  Wonderful,  Counselor,  the  mighty  God,  the  everlastincr 
",a  ther>  the  ,  rulce  °f  Peace.  Of  the  increase  of  his  government  and  pea/ 
Iheie  shall  be  no  end;  upon  the  throne  of  David,  and  upon  his  kineclom 
o  order  it,  and  establish  it  with  judgment  and  with  justice  from  ifeiuV 
forth  even  forever.  The  zeal  of  tlAord  of  hosts  wiil  S' “thfe 
iMiah  ix.  7.  This  is  Prince  Messiah,  who  is  the  “  Mighty  God,”  while 
e  1S  f .  cl‘;ld  bom,  and  son  given.”  “  The  spirit  of  the  Lord  shall  rest 
upon  him,  the  spirit  of  wisdom  and  understanding,  the  spirit  of  counsel 
and  might,  the  spirit  of  knowledge  and  of  the  fear  of  the  Lord— he  shall 
;-tmte  the  earth  with  the  rod  of  his  mouth.” — Isaiah  xi.  2 — i  ‘He  is 

Cthf  !twrf°mf  tlnd  kHOwledfe-  “  And  wisdom  and  knowledge  shall 

He  k  stmni1 Z  °-  %  tunes,  and  strength  of  salvation.”  Isaiah  xxxiii.  6 
lie  is  strong  in  righteousness  and  truth,  “  And  righteousness  shall  be  the 
giM  e  of  his  loins,  and  faithfulness  the  girdle  of  his  reigns.  ”  Isaiah  xi.  5 
<pA  u  ?f  the  srag,est  kings— all  the  righteousness  of  just  prin- 

the  benevolence  of  the  most  gracious  monarchs,  and  all  the  prow 
ess  ol  the  most  mighty  captains  have  emanated  from  Prince  Messiah'  “  bv 

ea'th  ”  U18S  rei8n>  and  Prlnces  decree  justice,  even  all  the  nobles  of  the 

vetfnf.; TKW!inSane ell  r6bel  /ngs  and  ki»Sdoms !  Be  astonished 
■  -  \  .,  rhe  kl.nSs  0uf  the  earth  set  themselves  and  the  rulers  take 

-  together,  against  the  Lord,  and  against  his  anointed,  saying  let 
us  oreak  their  bonds  asunder,  and  cast  away  their  cords  from  us.  He  that 
■  is  in  he  a  i  en  shall  laugh :  the  Lord  shall  have  them  in  derision.  Psal.  ii 

v-// As  he  isquaiified  to  reign,  so  he  very  gloriously  administers  the 
viiigdom,  in  bringing  to  pass  the  counsels  of  the  Godhead.  The  adminis¬ 
tration  is  such  as  becomes  their  infinitely  excellent  Prince. 

*  r  dispenses  to  the  redeemed  of  the  Lord,  the  blessings  of  the  core- 
nant  °f  §race>  w  all  their  fulness,  both  here  and  hereafter.  “He  shall 
<.onie  c  ow  n  ike  ram  on  the  mown  grass,  as  showers  that  water  the  earth/' 

1  sat.  ixofii  b.  .  ihis  he  does  when,  by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  he 
regenerates  the  sinner,  creating  him  anew  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  by  the  nur- 
.  urn  which,  m  progressive  holiness,  he  imparts  to  those  graces  which 
adorned  the  beloved  of  Jehovah.  “  The  Lord  will  give  grace  and  glorv. 

g°°d  thing  will  he  withhold  from  them  that  walk  uprightly.”  These 
gilts,  at  his  ascension,  he  received,  that  he  might  bestow  them  "on  the  peo- 
[ne  cn  his  love  and  choice,  in  the  administration  of  his  special  kingdom 

iw  ms  word  and  spirit  he  governs  a  people  made  willing  in  the  day  of  bis 
power.  °  ; 

2.  He  protects  his  Saints.  They  are  in  themselves  feeble  and  exposed 
0  nerc®  and  most  mele vole nt  foes.  He  keeps  them  as  the  apple  of  his 
eye.  and  encloses  them  in  the  shade  of  his  Almighty,  paternal  wings.— 
He  shall  redeem  their  soul  from  deceit  and  violence,  and  precious  shall 
their  blood  be  in  his  sight.  Psal.  Ixxii.  14.  Of  the  Church,  which  is 
Presented  as  the  place  of  his  rest,  it  is  affirmed  “  His  bed,  which  is 
.rnlomon  s  ;  three-score  valient  men  are  about  it,  of  the  valient  of  Israel. 
i  iiey  all  hold  swords,  being  expert  in  war ;  every  man  hath  his  sword  up- 


9 


on  his  thigh,  because  of  the  fear  in  the  night.”  Song.  iii.  7,  8.  “  Thy 

neck,”  says  Christ  to  the  church,  “  is  like  the  tower  of  David,  builded  for 
an  armory,  whereon  there  hang  a  thousand  bucklers,  all  shields  of  mighty 
men!”  Ten  thousand  times  ten  thousand,  and  thousands  of  thousands  of 
Holy  Angels,  great  in  might,  and  expert  in  war,  are  at  the  command  of 
Prince  Messiah,  and  exercise  their  guardian  care  in  defending  the  follow¬ 
ers  of  the  Lamb.  The  mountains  around  them  are  full  of  horsemen  and 
chariots  of  fire. 

3.  He  makes  all  the  material  and  intellectual  operations  of  the  universe , 
subserve  the  good  of  his  chosen.  Minerals,  plants,  and  brute  animals  are 
made  for  the  use  of  man.  “  All  sheep  and  oxen,  beasts  of  the  field, 
fowls  of  the  air,  and  fish  of  the  sea,  were  given  him.”  Psal.  viii.  7,  8. — 
The  sun,  moon  and  stars,  while  they  may  minister  to  the  enjoyment  of 
countless  hosts  of  other  happy  beings,  are  all  made  for  man.  “  God  set 
them  in  the  firmament  of  heaven  to  give  light  upou  the  earth.  Gin.  i.  17. 
Messiah,  being  made  head  over  all  things,  to  his  body  the  Church,  governs 
their  movements,  so  as  to  make  them  “  work  together  for  good  to  them 
that  love  God.”  Rom.  viii.  28. 

Empires  are  raised  up  and  decline  under  his  providential  control.  The 
armies  of  Rome  formed  those  military  highways  in  which  the  gospel  tra¬ 
velled  to  the  remotest  nations.  British  navies,  armies  and  merchants, 
have  penetrated  to  the  most  distant  Indies,  sent  thither,  under  the  con¬ 
trolling  power  of  Prince  Messiah,  that  the  Bible  Society  might  be  furn¬ 
ished  with  facilities,  for  the  circulation  of  the  scriptures  among  the  people 
of  Borneo  and  New  Holland.  He  who  is  Lord  of  all  quickens  the  march 
of  the  sciences,  in  application  to  the  arts,  that  the  gospel  may  soon,  in  all 
its  purity,  travel  on  the  wings  of  the  wind  over  the  whole  earth.  “  Who 
are  these  that  fly  as  a  cloud  and  as  doves  to  their  windows  ?”  Isa.  lx.  S. 

4.  He  crushes  hostile  thrones.  The  principalities  and  powers  of  hell 
are  dragged  at  his  chariot  wheels.  “  He  has  heen  manifested  that  he  may 
destroy  the  works  of  the  devil.”  The  old  serpent,  the  devil  and  satan, 
carries  on  his  operations  in  this  world,  chiefly  through  the  agency  of  un¬ 
godly  men,  in  whom  he  reigns.  The  wicked  are  in  a  state  of  enmity  with 
God,  and  with  the  sons  of  God.  “  The  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against 
God.”  “  Because  ye  are  not  of  the  world,  but  I  have  chosen  you  out  of 
the  world,  therefore  the  world  hateth  you.”  John  xv.  19. 

When  Christ  is  appointed  by  the  Father  to  the  mediatory  throne,  he  is 
endowed  with  authority  to  reduce  the  rebel  hosts  into  subjection.  “  The 
Lord  shall  send  the  rod  of  thy  strength  out  of  Zion ;  rule  thou  in  the  midst 
of  thine  enemies.  The  Lord  that  sits  at  thy  right  hand,  shall  strike  through 
kings  in  the  day  of  his  wrath.  He  shall  judge  among  the  heathen  ;  he 
shall  fill  the  places  with  the  dead  bodies ;  he  shall  wound  the  heads  over 
many  countries.”  Psal.  cx.  2,  5,  6.  The  destruction  of  kings  and  the 
desolations  of  kingdoms,  by  revolution,  war,  pestilence  and  famine,  are 
the  effects  of  the  wrath  of  the  Lamb.  This  Psalm  refers  to  the  Messiah  ; 
for  the  Apostle  Htb.  i.  13.  applies  the  latter  clause  of  the  1st  verse  to  the 
Son  of  God,  as  Mediator — “  Who  by  himself,  purged  our  sins,  and  sat 
down  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Majesty  on  high.”  “  Sit  thou  on  my  right 
hand,  until  I  make  thine  enemies  thy  footstool.” 

John  in  the  Apocalypse,  xvii.  14,  after  describing  the  modern  despotisms 
of  Europe,  under  the  very  appropriate  imagery  of  ten  horns  of  a  beast, 
adds,  “  These  shall  make  war  upon  the^  Lamb,”  (Jesus  the  Mediator,) 


10 


“  and  the  Lamb  shall  overcome  them  ;  for  he  is  King  of  kings  and  Lord  of 
lords.’*  How  vain  to  say,  “who  is  able  to  make  war  with  the  beast  ?” 
Rev.  xiii.  4.  The  Larnb  can  effectually  ;  and  the  opposition  of  his  saints 
to  the  thrones  of  iniquity  is  not,  as  some  say,  Lilliputian  efforts .  “  They 
will  ovecrome  by  their  testimony.” 

i  V.  Messiah  is  made  “  head  over  all  things  to  the  church,  which  is  his 
body.”  The  church  is  his  peculiar  treasure,  which  he  hath  redeemed  to 
himself  by  his  own  precious  blood.  It  is  his  special  kingdom,  “  whicli  is 
not  of  this  world.”  I  have  set  my  king  upon  my  holy  hill  of  Zion.  Psal. 


n.  0. 

1 .  All  the  members  of  the  church  profess  their  allegiance  to  him  in  bap¬ 

tism  and  the  Lord's  supper .  They  bind  themselves  to  obedience,  by  the 
most  solemn  oaths  of  allegiance.  “  They  lifted  up  their  voice  to  God 
with  one  accord  and  said,  Lord,  thou  art  God,  who  hast  made  heaven  and 
earth,  and  the  sea,  and  all  that  in  them  is.”  Acts  iv..  24.  “  And  the  four 

and  twenty  elders,  and  the  four  living  creatures,  fell  down  and  worship¬ 
ped  God,  saying,  Amen.”  Lev.  xix.  4.  “And  the  armies  that  were  in 
heaven  followed  him.”  Rev.  xix.  14. 

2.  Those  who  by  the  word  and  Spirit  of  the  Lord  are  born  again .  be¬ 
long  to  this  special  kingdom,  and  render  to  the  Messiah  the  homage  of  their 
hearts.  By  faith  they  receive  him  as  their  Lord  whom  they  love  and 
adore  ;  by  faith  they  are  united  to  him  as  their  spiritual  head;  by  faith 
they  become  possessed  of  his  righteousness,  “  which  is  unto  all  and  upon 
all  them  that  believe  ;”  and  by  faith  they  partake  of  the  spiritual  bles¬ 
sings  of  the  special  kingdom  of  the  Prince  of  peace.  “For  through  him 
we  both  have  access,  by  one  spirit  to  the  Father.  Now  therefore,  ye  are 
no  more  strangers  and  foreigners,  but  fellow-citizens  with  the  saints,  and 
of  the  household  of  God.”  Eph.  ii.  18,  19.  Therefore,  all  true  believers 
love  him,  honor  him,  and  seek  the  glory  of  his  kingdom.  His  willing 
subjects  are  thus  distinguished  from  the  ungodly,  who  are  regardless  of 
the  glory  of  Majesty,  and  who  in  the  tenor  of  their  thoughts  and  deport¬ 
ment  say,  “  we  wrill  not  have  this  man  to  reign  over  us.” 

3.  By  his  Spirit  he  animates  with  a  living  energy  of  gospel  holiness, 

1 ; is  body  the  church.  He  infuses  his  own  spirit  into  the  common¬ 
wealth  of  lsreal,  which  becomes  instinct  with  the  life  of  godliness, 
and  adorned  with  the  garniture  of  heaven.  “  We  all  come  in  the  unity 
of  faith  and  of  the  knowledge  of  the  son  of  God,  unto  a  perfect  man,  unto 
the  measure  of  the  stature  of  the  fulness  of  Christ — that  we  may  grow  up 
unto  him  in  all  things,  who  is  the  head,  even  Christ.”  Eph.  iv.  13,  15. — 
••  The  king’s  daughter  is  all  glorious  within,  her  clothing  is  of  wrought 
gold.”  Psal.  x iv.  13.  “How  goodly  are  thy  tents,  0  Jacob  !  and  thv  tab- 
<  maedes,  0  Israel !  As  the  valleys  are  they  spread  forth,  as  gardens  by  the 
i  iver’s  side ;  as  the  trees  of  lign-aloes  which  the  Lord  hath  planted,  and  as 
cedar- trees  beside  the  waters.”  Nun i.  xa iv.  5,  6.  “  Out  of  Zion,  the  per- 

f  -ction  of  beauty.  God  hath  shined.”  Psalm  i  2.  Beautiful  for  situation 

•/  * 

is  Mount  Zion,  the.  joy  of  the  whole  earth.”  Psal.  xlriii.  2. 

4.  As  her  only  Heed,  he  endows  .the  church  with  the  system  of  gcspel 
truth — the  glorious  system ,  where  the  mightiest  minds  employ  their  no¬ 
blest  powers,  in  surveyrng  with  ineffable  delight,  the  fields  ol  divine 
know  ledge.  The  topics  embraced  in  this  depository  of  heavenly  science 
are,  the  glories  of  the  Godhead,  as  revealed  in  “  the  only  begotten  of  the 
Father,  full  of  Grace  and  truth” — the  eternal  counsels  of  Jehovah  respect- 


It 


Ing  the  creation,  organization  and  garniture  of  the  moral  and  physical 
universe  ;  and  more  especially  respecting  the  redemption  of  lost  sinners, 
by  the  blood  of  his  own  Son — the  providential  administration  of  his  king¬ 
dom — the  actual  application  of  the  blood  of  Jesus,  by  the  Holy  Ghost — 
and  the  blessedness  of  redeemed  men,  in  communion  with  their  God,  and 
in  the  fellowship  of  holy  angels,  in  realms  of  immortality.  O  my  soul-, 
what  enrapturing  themes  !  Blessed  Jesus,  what  a  treasure  of  gespel  truth, 
thou  hast  committed  to  our  care  !  “  The  house  of  God,  which  is  the 

church  of  the  living  God,  the  pillar  and  ground  of  truth.'5  1  Tim.  Hi.  15. 
“  He  showeth  his  word  unto  Jacob,  his  statutes  and  his  judgments  unto 
Israel.  He  hath  not  dealt  so  with  any55  other  “  nation.55 

5.  The  laws  by  which  she  is  governed,  and  by  which  the  inhabitants  of 
the  world,  in  all  the  relations  of  human  life,  are  bound  to  walk,  he  hath 
committed  to  the  church  as  their  depository.  For  they  are  recorded  in 
the  Holy  Scriptures.  “  The  law  shall  go  forth  out  of  Zion,  and  the 
word  of  the  Lord  from  Jerusalem.55  Hear  0  heavens  and  give  ear,  0 
earth,  for  the  Lord  hath  spoken.55  Isa.  i.  2.  This  law,  the  judges  cf  the 
earth  shall  obey  when  God  brings  on  them  heavy  afflictions.  Then  they 
will  prefer  the  laws  of  the  God  of  heaven  to  the  counter  laws  which  have, 
been  enacted  by  unholy  legislators.  “  When  their  judges  are  overthrown 
in  stony  places,  they  shall  hear  my  words  :  for  they  are  sweet.55  Psa.L 
cxli.  6.  He  judges  the  nations  to  compel  them  to  hear  the  Lord  Jesus. — 
“  And  in  the  earthquake,  there  were  slain  of  men,  seven  thousand :  and 
the  remnant  were  affrighted  and  gave  glory  to  the  God  of  heaven,55  by  ren¬ 
dering  obedience  to  the  laws  that  are  given  to  Israel.  Rev.  xi.  13. 
r,  6.  Messiah  endows  the  church  with  holy  ordinances,  for  the  edification 
of  her  citizens.  In  prayer,  praise,  reading  and  preaching  the  word,  sacra¬ 
ments,  fasts,  and  ecclesiastical  covenants,  she  possesses  all  the  institutions 
necessary  for  the  application  of  his  doctrines,  and  laws  in  the  regeneration 
of  the  sinner,  and  the  sanctification  of  the  people  of  the  Lord. 

7.  The  form  of  her  government  is  by  divine  appointment.  The  Lord 
Jesus  is  the  author,  as  he  reigns  on  the  hill  of  Zion.  He  erects  the  throne 
of  the  house  of  David.  Her  government  unites  all  the  energies  and  des¬ 
patch  of  monarchy,  and  the  safety  of  the  republican  or  representative  sys¬ 
tem,  with  all  the  wisdom  and  wholesome  vigor  of  an  aristocracy.  The 
people  elect  all  their  officers,  who  derive  their  authority  from  Christ  the 
head,  by  ordination ;  and  there  is  no  rotation  in  office.  The  king  of  Zion 
lias  endowed  the  commonwealth  of  Israel  with  a  form  of  government; 
which  embraces  all  that  is  good,  in  the  three  distinct  schemes  of  civil  po¬ 
licy,  without  the  defects  of  any  of  them.  “  Jerusalem  is  builded  as  a 
city,  that  is  compact  together.  For  there  are  set  thrones  of  judgment,  the 
thrones  of  the  house  of  David.55  Psal.  exxii.  3,  5.  “  And  round  about  the 

throne  were  four  and  twenty  seats :  and  upon  the  seats  I  saw  four  and 
twenty  elders  sitting,  clothed  in  whitt?  raiment;  and  they  had  on  their 
heads  crowns  of  gold.  And  round  about  the  throne,  were  four  beasts  full 
ol  eyes  before  and  behind.55  Rev.  iv.  4,  6.  The  energy  of  the  government 
ol  the  “  holy  nation/5  is  well  tested.  It  has  been  exercised  over  a  poor, 
and  exceedingly  diversified  people  ;  yet  it  has  preserved  the  nation  unbro¬ 
ken  for  a  long  succession  of  ages.  Though  factions  have  arisen  within, 
and  foes  have  waged  war  without ;  though  in  the  midst  of  hostile  em¬ 
pires,  and  attacked  by  mighty  hosts,  yet  she  has  not  been  crushed.  The 
greatest  monarchies  have  been  wrecked  around  her,  while  she  rises  in  fresh 


12 


glories,  from  every  conflict.  It  is  true,  that  the  “  Lord  is  in  Zion,  great 
and  high  above  all  people and  he  is  so,  by  the  spiritual  and  moral  ener¬ 
gies  which  his  spirit  imparts  to  that  infinitely  wise  and  efficacious  eccle¬ 
siastical  polity,  instituted  for  the  preservation  of  “  his  peculiar  people.” 

8.  He  famishes  his  church  with  officers,  whom  he  creates ,  educates ,  and 

endows  with  the  qualifications  requisite  for  the  performance  of  all  the  go¬ 
vernmental  functions .  “  He  gave  some,  apostles  ;  and  some,  prophets ; 

and  some,  evangelists ;  and  some,  pastors  and  teachers ;  for  the  perfec¬ 
tion  of  the  saints,  for  the  work  of  the  ministry,  for  the  edifying  of  the  body 
of  Christ.”  j Eph.  Hi.  11,  12.  Though  men  may  err,  in  their  exercise  of 
the  right  of  suffrage,  and  in  their  appointments  to  office,  yet  Prince  Mes¬ 
siah  never  errs.  What  is  good  for  the  church,  the  Lord  gives  her.  “  By 
the  weak  things  of  the  world,  he  confounds  the  things  that  are  mighty  ; 
and  by  the  things  that  are  not,  brings  to  nought  the  things  that  are.”* — 
Priests,  Levites,  prophets,  seers,  apostles,  evangelists,  overseers,  elders, 
deacons — officers  extraordinary  and  stated — all  exercise  their  ministerial 
duties,  under  his  authority,  controlled  by  his  power,  and  guided  by  his 
word  and  Spirit. 

9.  All  these  he  hinds  together  by  the  great  social  pledge  which  the  whole 
church ,  as  a  collective  body ,  gives  in  her  oath  of  allegiance  to  him.  “  Be¬ 
cause  he  is  thy  Lord,*  worship  thou  him.”  The  church  is,  from  her 
very  orgonization,  a  covenant  society.  For  this  reason  she  is  called  “  the 
bride,  the  Lamb’s  wife.”  In  the  Song  of  Songs,  Christ  calls  her  his  spouse, 
referring  to  the  marriage  vows,  by  which  she  dedicates  herself  to  him  in 
covenant  as  her  husband.  “  Thy  Maker  is  thy  husband — the  Lord  of  hosts 
is  his  name.”  This  is  the  fair  jewel  with  which  the  prophet  says,  that 
the  Lord  adorns  the  forehead  of  Israel.  The  church’s  covenants  are  her  glo¬ 
ry,  for  they  in  the  most  solemn  manner,  consummate  the  connection  which 
exists  between  the  church  and  her  king.  “  I,  the  Lord,  will  be  their  God, 
and  my  servant  David,  “  i.  e.  Christ,”  a  Prince  among  them,  I,  the  Lord, 
have  spoken  it.  And  I  will  make  with  them  a  covenant  of  peace.” — 
Ezek.  xxxiv.  24,  25.  This  covenant  of  peace,  is  the  national  compact  of  the 
commonwealth  of  Israel.  It  is  the  formal  bond  of  connection  between  Mes¬ 
siah,  the  Prince  of  peace,  and  his  kingdom  of  peace,  over  which  he  reign* 
forever.  His  subjects  are  made  willing,  in  the  day  of  his  almighty  grace. 

Wherever  this  covenant  is  disregarded,  there  the  dominion  of  Prince 
Messiah  is  lightly  esteemed,  religion  is  in  a  low  state,  and  Christian  mor¬ 
als  are  relaxed. 

V.  The  ordinance  of  magistracy  is  subjected  to  Prince  Messiah.  For : — 

1.  All  things  are  proved  to  be  under  his  mediatorial  authority,  a?id 
therefore  civil  government.  As  God  the  Father~alone  is  excepted^  (1  Cor. 
xv.  27,)  political  sovereignties  are  within  the  precincts  of  his  dominion. 

2.  It  is  expresslf  affirmed  that  he  is  the  Lowl  of  civil  ^rulers.  .  “  Jesus 
Chist  is  Prince  of  the  Kings  of  thS  earth.”  The  name  Jesus  signified  Sa¬ 
viour);  and  Christ,  anointed.  As  Messiah,  the  Saviour,  he  is  king  over 
earthly  potentates.  Besides,  the  text  quoted  from  Rev.  i.  2,  introduces 
him,  as  endowed  with  authority  over  the  civil  powers,  of  whose  overthrow 
by  this  Prince,  John  in  the  Apecalypse,  gives  the  prospective  history. 

In  the  exaltation  of  our  Lord  over  all  civil  power,  an  ancient  predic¬ 
tion  is  fulfilled.  “  I  will  make  him  my  first  born,  higher  than  the  kings  of 
the  earth.”  Psal.  Ixxxix.  27.  And  there  was  given  him  a  kingdom,  that 
all  nations  should  serve  him.”  Han.  t hi.  14.  All  this  refers  to  the  civil 

•  i  *  $  • 


13 


#  >  }  ^  9  _ 

dominion  with  which  Emmanuel,  in  our  nature,  is  endowed,  at  his  ascen¬ 
sion,  by  formal  investure. 

3.  The  attributes  of  rulers ,  by  which  they  are  qualified  to  'perform  their 
official  functions ,  and  their  authority  to  reign,  are  immediately  from  the 
Spirit  of  the  Messiah.  “By  me  kings  reign,  and  princes  decree  justice. 
By  me  princes  rule  and  nobles,  even  all  the  judges  of  the  earth.”  Pro-viii. 
15,16. 

4.  He  exercises  authority  over  Kings,  as  their  Lord . 

He  gave  Moses  his  commission,  to  reign  in  Jeshuran  as  king.  For  this 
purpose,  he  appeared  to  him  in  the  burning  bush,  and  delegated  to  him  the 
power  to  govern  the  people  of  Isreal. 

It  was  he  .who  overthrew  Pharaoh  and  all  his  hosts  in  the  Bed  Sea. 

For  Christ  w^as  the  angel  that  dwelt  in  the  pillar  of  the  cloud  by  day, 
and  in  the  pillar  of  tire  by  night.  When  the  cloud  removed  to  the  rear 
of  the  hosts  of  Israel,  Messiah  the  Prince  looked  out  of  the  cloud  on  the 
hosts  of  Pharaoh,  and  troubled  them. 

He  appeared,  as  captain  of  the  Lord’s  hosts,  and  governor  of  the  nations, 
to  Joshua,  on  the  banks  of  Jordan,  to  lead  the  people  of  Israel  against  the 
seven  nations  of  Canaan.  He  overthrew  great  kings,  and  gave,  for  inher¬ 
itance,  their  land  to  his  chosen  people.  The  drawn  sword  which  he  had 
in  his  hand,  is  an  emblem  of  that  borne  by  the  civil  magistrate. — “Pie 
beareth  not  the  sw'ord  in  vain.”  Bom.  xiii.  4. 

He  gave  the  ten  commandments.  For  Messiah  is  in  his  holy  place,  as 
he  was  in  Mount  Sinai,  when  he  uttered  the  ten  commandments  that  bind 
kings; 

He  will  judge,  at  the  last  day,  all  earthly  potentates  :  for“  the  Father 
judgeth  no  man,  but  hath  committed  all  ( pasan ,)  judgement  to  the 
Son.”  John  v.  22.  to  him  wdio  will  judge  them,  they  are  now  made 
subject. 

5.  The  ordinance  of  Magistracy  originating  from  God  the  Father ,  is 
committed  to  the  mediatorial  administration,  for  the  good  of  the  nations 
“No  man,”  says  Christ,  “  cometh  unto  the  Father,  but  by  me.”  John, 
xiv.  6.  No  President,  or  governor  can  come  to  the  Father  acceptably,  but 
by  Christ.  God,  angry  with  sinful  nations,  will  not  allow  them  to  come 
to  him,  with  acceptance,  but  in  and  through  the  Mediator.  He  is  the  trus¬ 
tee  and  dispenser  of  Jehovah’s  munificence  to  the  sons  of  men.  Does  a 
holy  God  impart  blessings  to  men  by  the  divinely  instituted  ordnance  of 
civil  government,  it  is  through  Messiah  the  Prince.  The  very  fact,  that 
“  the  sun  is  made  to  rise',  and  the  rains  to  desend  on  the  just  and  on  the 
unjust,”  is  demonstrative  evidence  that  Jesus  reigns  over  the  nations. 

6.  It  displays  the  glory  of  the  Godhead. — *“  He  is  made  Lord  of  all,  to 
the  glory  of  God  the  Father.”  Wlien  nations  refuse  to  honor  him,  it  is  a 
dishonor  done  to  the  Lord  Jehovah,  Father  Son  and  Holy  Ghost. 

All  these  considerations  demonstrate  to  every  man  who  believes  and 
understands  the  word  of  God,  that  the  civil  government  of  the  nations  is 
subjected  to  the  Lordship  of  Messiah,  “  the  Prince  of  the  Kings  of  the 
earth.” 

VI.  Nations  are  bound,  in  the  constitutions  of  their  governments,  to  re¬ 
cognize  formally  the  authority  of  the  Mediator  as  their  King. 

1.  It  is  the  duty  of  all  the  individuals  who  compose  a  nation  to  obey 
Christ. — Therefore,  the  collective  body  should  expressly  acknowledge 
Emmanuel  as  Sovereign  Lord.  This  recognition  ought  to  be  embodied  in 


£  I 

u 

the  fundamental  law  of  the  empire.  When  every  person  in  the  common¬ 
wealth  “  is  under  law  to  Christ,”  the  whole  nation,  in  its  convention  re¬ 
presenting  all,  is  bound  by  the  law  of  God,  to  do  homage  to  him  “  who  is 
Lord  of  all.”  ‘"All  the  parts  are  equal  to  the  whole.”  As  then  when  ac¬ 
ting  apart,  every  man  owes  allegiance  to  Christ,  so,  when  acting  together 
they  cannot,  nationally,  be  freed  from  their  obligation  to  the  “King  of 
kings.”  “And  it  shall  come  to  pass,  that  every  soul  that  will  not  hear 
him,  shall  be  destroyed  from  among  his  people.”  Acts  iii.  23.  “  Submit 

yourselves  to  every  ordinance  of  man,  for  the  Lord’s  sake.”  1  Pet.  ii.  13. 
Man,  who  is  subject  to  Christ,  ordains  civil  government,  by  the  will  of 
the  majority,  in  the  name  of  the  Lord.  And  this  is  the  formal  reason  of 
the  willing  submission,  or  obedience.  It  is  for  the  Lord  Christ’s  sake, 
from  whom  the  people  derive  their  right  to  frame  the  government,  by 
whom  the  moral  laws  of  the  empire  are  enacted,  whose  honor  and  glory 
are  to  be  promoted,  and  for  whose  sake  alone  that  allegiance  is  due  to  this 
ordinance  of  man. 

2.  We  know  that  Christ  does  not  say  to  kings ,  your  subjects  must  obey 
me ,  but  I  exempt  you  form  all  obligation  to  honor  me.  On  the  other  hand, 
God  the  Father,  says “  Be  wise  now,  0  ye  kings,  be  instructed  0  ye 
judges  of  the  earth  .  Serve  the  Lord  with  fear,  and  rejoice  with  trembling, 
Kiss  ye  the  Son,  lest  he  be  angry,  and  ye  perish  from  the  way  when  his 
anger  is  kindled  but  a  little.”  Psal.ii.  10 — 12 

When  rulers  refuse  to  hear,  so  will  the  people,  generally.— “ On  each  side 
walk  the  wicked,  when  vile  men  are  high  in  place.”  When  the  king 
who  occupied  the  throne  of  Israel  was  an  idolater,  the  people  followed 
him.  Hence,  it  is  not  in  the  nature  of  human  society,  that  when  the  go¬ 
vernment  dishonors  the  crown  of  Emmanuel,  the  people  will  walk  accor¬ 
ding  to  his  law. 

4.  They  are  bound  to  legislate  according  to  his  law. — “The  Lord  spake 
•  unto  Joshua  saying,  this  book  of  the  law  shall  not  depart  out  of  thy  mouth: 

But  thou  shall  meditate  therein  day  and  night,  that  thou  mayest  observe 
to  do  according  to  all  that  is  written  therein,  for  then  thou  shalt  make 
thy  way  prosperous,  for  then  thou  shalt  have  good  success.”  Josh.  i.  1 
— 8.  Joshua  was  a  civil  ruler.  “No  scripture  is  of  private  interpreta¬ 
tion.”  “  Now  all  these  things  are  written  for  our  admonition.”  1  Cor. 
x.  11.  * 

5.  His  honor  must  be  promoted  by  excluding  his  open  enemies  from 
office.  “When  the  wicked  beareth  rule  the  people  mourn.”  Prov.  xxxix. 
2.  Because  the  Messiah  chastises  them  for  exalting  the  foes  of  his  church, 
and  law.  To  permit  atheists,  deists,  Jews,  pagans,  profane  men,  heretics, 
such  as  the  blasphemers  of  Messiah’s  Godhead,  and  papists,  who  are  gross 
dolaters,  to  occupy  places  of  honor  and  power,  as  legislators,  judges,  &c, 
s  to  offer  a  direct  insult  to  the  holy  Jesus.  They  do  not,  they  will  not, 
they  cannot  “  kiss  the  Son,”  according  to  the  Father’s  command.  To 
elevate  such  men  is  direct  opposition  to  the  King  of  kings.  “Cursed  be 
the  deceiver,  who  hath  in  his  flock  a  male,  and  voweth  and  sacrificeth 
unto  the  Lord,  a  corrupt  thing.”  Mai.  i  14.  “He  that  ruleth  over  men 
must  be  just,  ruling  in  the  fear  of  God.”  II.  Sam.xxiii.  3. 

6.  The  civil  rulers  of  the  nations  are  bound  to  be  nursing  fathers  to 
the  church.  The  ungodly  and  profane,  will  cry  out  church  and  state. 
Many  w^eak,  and  timid,  and  misinformed  professors,  are  alarmed  by  the  pro¬ 
fane  banter.  It  is  true,  too,  “  that  fools  always  run  to  extremes.”  Men  have 


15 


seen  the  evils  which  have  resulted  from  making  the  church  an  engine  of 
profane  state  policy.  They  have  witnessed,  with  pain,  the  despots  of 
the  earth  using  the  aid  of  an  idolatrous  or  faithless  priesthood,  for  thd 
purpose  of  enslaving  the  nations,  and  of  enriching  themselves  with  “  the 
spoils'7  of  oppressed  humanity.  From  all  this  they  have  inferred,  that 
the  church  of  G  od  is  not  to  be  known  as  an  object  of  favor  in  the  king¬ 
doms  of  the  world.  All  associations  of  business,  labour,  and  literature 
must  be  nurtured,  but  the  church  left  utterly  neglected.  .Christ  makes 
“  all  things  work  together  for  good  to  them  that  love  God,  and  are  the 
called  according  to  his  purpose.”  He  made  the  magistracy  of  the  He¬ 
brew  commonwealth  subservient  to  the  good  of  his  spiritual  kingdom. 
The  church  is  as  worthy  an  object  of  national  favor,  as  she  was  in  the 
days  of  David  or  Hezekiah.  Christ  has  promised  that  the  church  shall  a- 
gain  be  nursed  by  kings.  “Kings  shall  be  thy  nursing  fathers,  and  their 
queens  thy  nursing  mothers.”  We  have  his  promise  that  the  church 
“shall  suck  the  breasts  of  kings.”  Isa.  lx.  16. 

7.  They  should  pledge  themselves  to  do  this  by  solemn  oath,  vow  and 
covenant.  “Vow  to  the  Lord,  thy  God  and  pay.”  So  did  Israel  vow  to 
the  Messiah,  and  many  a  time  with  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory, 
did  they  renew  their  pledge.  Thus  did  our  fathers  vow,  when  they  en¬ 
tered  into  the  national  covenant  Lof  Scotland,  and  when  they  engaged 
themselves,  with  holy  solemnity,  to  Messiah,  the  Prince,  in  the  solemn 
league  and  covenant  of  the  kingdom,  when  a  great,  learned,  and  reformed 
empire,  animated  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  did  covenant  to  do  homage  to  Him 
by  whom  kings  reign,  and  princes  decree  justice,  they  obeyed  the  com¬ 
mand  uttered  ages  before,  by  the  prophet  Isaaih,  xlix.  1.  “Listen,  0  isles, 
to  me  and  hearken  ye  people  from  afar.” 

Prince  Messiah,  then,  is  appointed  to  rule  as  Mediator  over  the  whole 
of  Jehovah’s  dominion  :  he  is  well  qualified  for  the  kingly  office  ;  he  ad¬ 
ministers  the  kingdom  in  power  and  righteousness  ;  he  makes  the  king¬ 
dom  of  Providence  to  subserve  the  interest  of  the  church ;  for  the  good 
of  Zion  the  lordship  of  the  nations  is  subjected  to  him.  and  all  the  nations 
commanded,  by  the  high  and  holy  authority  of  the  Eternal,  to  acknow¬ 
ledge  him,  formally,  as  “ Lord  of  all  to  the  glory  of  God ,  the  Father .” 


ESSAY  II, 


EXAMINATION  OF  THE  CONSTITUTION  AND  GOVERNMENT 
OF  THE  UNITED  STATES,  RELATIVE  TO 
MESSIAH'S  CLAIMS. 


The  interests  of  personal  morality,  social  order  ,  and  Christianity— all 
that  respects  the  improvement  and  comfort  of  our  race,  in  this  life  ;  all 
that  prepares  for  immortal  glory,  are  intimately  connected  with  the  form , 
the  principles,  and  the  administration  of  civil  government.  One  of  the 
great  advantages  derived  from  the  reading  of  history,  is  the  instruction 


16 


received,  relative  to  the  moral  influence  which  different  forms,  and  diver¬ 
sified  administrations  of  magistracy,  have  on  the  citizens.  Until  within 
about  half  a  century,  it  was  usual  for  writers  and  the  mass  of  the  people 
to  applaud  the  government  under  which  they  lived,  as  the  best  in  the 
world.  Since  the  American  revolution,  the  spirit  of  the  age,  in  the  old 
world,  has  tended  to  depreciate  the  existing  forms  and  administrations  of 
civil  policy.  This  popular  sentiment  acquires  strength  every  year.  It 
convulses  the  continent  of  Europe,  and  has  brought  the  British  empire  to 
the  commencement  of  a  concussion,  that  bids  fair  soon  to  shake  the  whole 
moral  world. 

On  this  side  of  the  Atlantic,  the  people  having  established,  by  their  re. 
presentatives,  a  federal  constitution,  having  relapsed  into  the  ancient 
temper  of  the  nations — adulation  of  the  form  of  government,  which  they 
organized.  This  is  self-adulation.  The  political  machinery  has  wrought 
tolerably  well,  for  nearly  fifty  years,  as  far  as  relates  to  the  mere  personal 
liberty  of  the  whites,  the  security  of  property,  the  increase  of  wealth,  and 
the  encouragement  of  interprise.  * 

We  may  hope  that  the  queston  is  settled,  that  a  civilized  and  Christ¬ 
ian  people  can  institute,  and  administer  by  representitives  of  their  own 
free  choice,  a  government,  that  secures  personal  rights.  But  it  is  very 
possible,  that  a  more  enlightened  age  will  not  think  all  the  eulogies  well 
merited  which  are  now  so  liberally  bestowed  on  our  political  institutions. 
— That  by  the  blessing  of  God,  the  condition  of  our  country  is  much  bet¬ 
ter  than  that  of  any  other  nation  in  Christendom,  must  be  admitted  by  all 
who  are  tolerably  acquainted  with  the  condition  of  the  old  world. 

There  may  be  very  great  prosperity  in  the  accumulation  of  property  ; 
in  the  cultivation  of  intellect,  and  in  all  the  means  of  sensual  gratification 
and  yet  the  morals  of  the  people  grow  worse.  This  is  demonstrated  by 
the  state  of  the  Hebrew  commonwealth  in  the  latter  part  of  the  reign  of 
Solomon  ;  by' the  condition  of  Chaldea,  when  overrun,  and  its  capital  sack¬ 
ed  by  Cyrus  ;  by  the  aspect  of  the  morals  at  Rome,  in  the  age  of  Cicero ; 
and  by  the  prosperity  of  the  Roman  empire,  during  the  reign  of  Theodosius, 
Their  opulence  and  refinement  were  carried  to  the  highest  pitch,  while 
their  morals  were  debased.  Their  prosperity  was  their  ruin ;  because, 
being  vicious,  they  abused  their  blessings. 

That  civil  governments  may  produce  their  happiest  effects,  they  must 
be  both  well  constituted,  and  well  administered.  The  lack  of  either  the 
one  or  the  other,  produces  a  desecration  of  Public  morals,  which  must  res- 
sult  in  national  calamity. — The  kingdom  of  Israel  had  the  very  best  poss¬ 
ible  constitution ;  for  the  wisdom  of  Jehovah  framed  it,  and  yet,  being 
for  sometime  badly  administered  under  the  influence  of  Solomon's  strange 
wives,  the  young  nobility,  and,  of  course,  the  commons  became  corrupted. 

*  The  machinery  works  badly,  in  some  of  its  operations.  The  United  States 
has  had  a  surplus  revenue,  averaging  about  $$,000,000,  annually,  for  fifteen  years. 
The  revenue  of  New  York,  Pennsylvania,  and  of  some  other  large  States,  falls 
very  short  of  the  expenditures. 

It  may  be  said  that  these  States  are  making  improvements  •  and  it  is  true. — 
But,  if  the  government  absorbs  the  profits  of  family  labor,  as  is  the  case  in  Eu¬ 
rope,  to  such  an  amount,  as  to  make  it  impossible  for  farmers  to  cultivate  their 
farms  without  running  into  debt,  the  governmental  machinery  works  ill. 

But  we  leave  the  calculation  of  the  results  from  these  aberations,  to  the  Rushe?; 
Spencers,  e.nd  Me  Lane's  of  the  commonwealth. 


This  led  to  the  rupture  of  the  commonwealth,  soon  after  the  death  of 
Solomon. 

The  commonwealth  of  Rome  was  never  so  well  administered  as  during 
the  reign  of  Theodosius,  deservedly  named  the  Great  and  Good.  But  the 
constitution  was  bad — the  very  worst,  perhaps,  that  ever  cursed  the 
world.  It  was  essentially  despotic.  Theodosius  was  hardly  cold  in  the 
grave,  when  it  was  crushed  nearly  into  ruins,  by  the  attacks  of  rude,  sa¬ 
vage  hordes  from  the  north.  England  is  just  now,  perhaps,  well  admin¬ 
istered  by  Earl  Grey  and  Lord  Brougham.  Her  wealth  and  learning  fill 
the  whole  world  with  wonder.  But  the  constitution  is  essentially  vi¬ 
cious.  By  its  theory,  the  people  derive  all  their  rights  from  the  king  ; 

and  not  the  king  his  authority  from  the  people.  The  vice  is  radical _ the 

the  disease  deadly,*  The  people  cannot  secure  their  own  place,  but  by  an 
appalling  revolution,  which  is  on  the  march  with  deliberate  step  and  aw¬ 
ful  majesty.  Messiah,  the  Prince,  must  be  honored — the  Church  protect¬ 
ed,  and  the  rights  of  the  people  secured  by  the  constitution ;  and  the  go¬ 
vernment  must  be  administered  by  men  good  and  true  :  or  national  mor¬ 
als  degenerate,  and  the  bublic  weal  suffers. 

In  examining  the  government  of  the  United  States,  two  topics  of  in¬ 
quiry  merit  attention  : — 

The  moral  aspect  of  the  constitution  :  and 

The  moral  character  of  its  administration, 

1.  The  moral  aspect  of  the  constitution. -^-The  complexion  of  the  Uni¬ 
ted  States  constitution  in  this  respect,  strongly  resembles  that  of  ail  the 
twenty-four  state  constitutions. 

Were  that  remarkable  instrument  to  be  viewed  in  the  mere  light  of  a 
business-transaction,  and  not  as  apolitical  sovereignty,  perhaps  ail,  and 
more  than  all  that  has  been  uttered  in  its  praise,  might  be  admitted.  But 
it  claims  to  be  a  true  and  proper  civil  magistracy.  Some,  indeed,  have 
affected  to  regard  it  merely  in  the  light  of  a  business-transaction — a  part¬ 
nership  in  trade,  a  mere  treaty.  The  object  of  some,  who,  (honestly,  per¬ 
haps,)  say  they  view  it  in  that  light — is  nullification — the  elevation  of 
the  state  sovereignties,  over  the  general  government.  The  object  of  o- 
thers  is,  to  flatter  the  occupants  of  power,  by  opologizing  in  this  way  for 
the  dishonor  done  to  Israel’s  God,  by  refusing  to  recognize  his  claims  on 
this  land.  The  former  are  misguided  politicians,  the  latter  culpable -ec¬ 
clesiastics.  “  And  his  tail  drew  the  third  part  of  the  stars  of  heaven,  and 
did  cast  them  to  the  earth.”*  Rev.  xii.4  “Let  him  that  readeth  under¬ 
stand.” 

That  this  constitution  claims  to  found  a  true  and  proper  political  sover¬ 
eignty,  appears  from  the  following  reasons  : 

1.  The  convention  was  called  and  convened  for  the  express  purpose  of 
forming  a  national  government,  instead  of  the  old  confederacy.  Un¬ 
der  the  old  articles  of  confederation,  Congress  could  legislate  for  states  only , 
and  not  for  individual  perso?is.  In  that,  respect  it  resembled  the  confe¬ 
deration  of  the  Seven  United  Provinces,  and  all  the  Swiss  cantons _ 

This  had  been  found  ^inadequate.  The  act  of  congress,  recommending  the 
call  of  the  convention,  has  these  words  : — “  Whereas  experience  hath  e- 
vinced,  that  there  are  defects  in  the  present  confederation  ;  as  a  mean  to 
remedy  which,  several  of  the  states,  and  particularly  the  state  of  Ne/w 
York ,  by  express  instructions  to  their  delegates  in  Congress,  have  suggest- 


18 


ed  a  conv  ention  for  the  purposes  expressed  in  the  following  resolutions  ; 
and  such  convention  appearing  to  be  the  most  probable  means  of  estab¬ 
lishing  in  the  states,  a  firm  national  government.  ” 

“ Resolved ,  That  in  the  opinion  ol  Congress,  it  is  expedient  that  a  con¬ 
vention  of  delegates  be  held- — for  the  express  purpose  of  revising  the  arti¬ 
cles  of  confederation — and  reporting  such  alterations  and  revisions  there¬ 
in,  as  shall,  when  agreed  to  in  congress,  and  confirmed  by  the  several 
states,  render  the  federal  constitution  adequate  to  the  exigencies  of  govern¬ 
ment,  and  preservation  of  the  nation/'  From  all  this,  Mr.  Madison  ar¬ 
gues,  Federalist,  No.  XL.  p.  211,  that  the  convention  assembled  in  or¬ 
der  “to  form  a  national  government .” 

The  three  departments  of  a  true  and  proper  government  enter  into  the 
organization  of  the  federal  power — The  legislative,  the  judiciary,  and  the 
executive. 

3.  By  the  constitution,  the  people,  and  the  states  by  their  ratification 
as  states,  transferred  to  the  federal  magistracy,  all  true  and  distinctive  at¬ 
tributes  of  nationality.  “No  state  shall  enter  into  the  treaty — coin  mo¬ 
ney,'5  &c.  “No  state  shall,  without  consent  of  congress,  lay  any  im¬ 
ports,”  &c.  U.  S.  Con.  art.  I.  sec.  VIII,  X.  Congress  is  vested  with 
power  to  lay  taxes,  borrow  and  coin  money,  regulate  commerce  with  for¬ 
eign  nations,  establish  a  uniform  rule  for  naturalization,  secure  copy-rights 
punish  piracies  and  felonies,  make  war,  raise  armies,  maintain  a  navy, 
and  exercise  exclusive  legislation  over  such  domains  as  are  properly  na¬ 
tional.  They  have  the  power  of  life  and  death,  which  cannot  be  claimed 
without  governmental  authority. 

4.  Hence  the  people,  and  all  writers  speak  of  the  United  States  as  the 
nation.  No  one  ever  says  the  nation  of  Pennsylvania — the  nation  of  New 
York,  &c. 

5.  All  the  best  standard  writers  treat  of  it  as  a  real  government.  Ma¬ 
dison,  Hamilton,  and  Jay,  wrote  the  Federalist,  to  convince  the  people, 
that  the  convention  were  justifiable  in  framing,  and  that  the  condition 
of  the  commonwealth  required  what  the  convention  had  framed — “a firm 
national  government .”  Chancellor  Kent,  in  his  elaborate  commentaries, 
affirms  that  the  United  States  government  “is  endowed  with  all  the  prin¬ 
cipal  attributes^of  a  true  and  proper  political  sovereignty.”  * 

Now,  if  it  is  true,  that  civil  governments  are  bound  to  acknowledge 
“  the  Lord  and  his  Christ ,”  and  the  United  States  have  not  done  so,  it 
will  not  avail  to  set  up  the  defence  that  the  federal  constitution  is  a  mere 


*  Mr.  Jefferson  maintained  that  the  federal  power  is  a  real  political  sovereign¬ 
ty.  In  a  letter  to  Mr.  Madison,  dated  Paris,  20th  August.  1787,  he  says: — “I 
like  the  organization  of  the  government  into  legislative,  judiciary,  and  executive. 
I  like  the  power  given  to  the  legislature  to  levy  taxes:  for  that  reason  solely,  I 
approve  of  the  greater  house  being  chosen  by  the  people.”  This  is  sound  doc¬ 
trine.  But  he  immediately  adds  what  I  think  an  insult  to  the  good  sense  of  the 
people  of  the  United  States: — “  I  think  a  house  so  chosen,”  (i.  e.  by  the  people,) 
“  will  be  very  ill  qualified  to  legislate  for  the  Union,  for  foreign  relations,  &c. — 
This  is  anti-iepublican.  Jefferson's  Works,  vol.  II.  p.  273. 

The  taxing  power,  of  which  Mr.  Jefferson  speaks,  is  a  distinctive  attribute  of 
political  sovereignty.  “There  went  out  a  decree  from  Caesar  Augustus  that  all 
the  world  should  be  taxed.”  Luke  ii.  1.  When  Joseph  and  Mary  enrolled  their 
names  in  Bethlehem,  “because  they  were  of  the  house  and  lineage  of  David;” 
‘‘  The  sceptre  departed  from  Judah  ”  Gen.  xlix.  10 


* 


19 

treaty.  This  opology  was,  indeed,  made  some  years  ago,  by  a  writer  in 
Pennsylvania,  in  reply  to  a  learned  essay  entitled  “The  Sons  of  Oil,”  by 
the  Rev,  Dr.  Wyle,  processor  of  languages  in  the  Pennsylvania-Universi- 
ty.  He  might  as  well  as  plead,  that  because  the  twelve  tribes  were  con¬ 
federated  together  under  one  government,  they  were,  on  that  account, 
not  bound,  as  a  confederated  nation,  to  acknowledge  Him  that  dwelt  be- 
teen  the  cherubim.  The  government  of  this  nation,  may  be  and  shall  be 
tested,  in  relation  to  its  moral  attr  ibutes,  by  the  claims  of  Prince  Messiah 
upon  the  political  sovereignty,  whatever  unfaithful  panders  of  the  rulers 
of  the  darkness  of  this  world,  may  say  to  the  contrary.  The  claims  of  the 
Lord  of  all ,  cannot  be  set  aside  by  subtle  distinctions  of  state  rights,  and 
national  jurisdiction.  The  United  States  are  in  the  diminion  of  the 
King  of  kings,  and  they  ought  to  have  politically  honored  Him;  whom 
they  have  nationally  dishonored  both  in  theory  and  in  practice.  These 
topics  are  worthy  of  the  most  sober  investigation  ;  that  if  great  national 
sins  bave  been  committed,  we  may  know  them,  acknowledge  them,  in 
deep  humiliation  before  God — pray  for  their  pardon  through  the  covenant 
mercies  of  the  God  of  Israel,  and  reform  them,  that  wrath  come  not  upon 
us  to  the  uttermost. 

Profane  men,  and  those  that  are  “at  ease  in  Zionf  will  no  doubt  call 
what  is  about  to  be  uUeied  “fault  finding,”  by  way  of  reproach,  as  they 
speak  of  the  reproofs  by  one  of  the  most  distinguished  of  the  Lord's  min¬ 
isters  ;  ”  Oh  !  it  is  Jeremiah”  The  only  reply  which  sneers  like,  this  de¬ 
serve,  is  : —  ”Mock  not  lest  thy  bands  be  made  strong,”  and  ‘  he  that 
being  often  reproved,  hardeneth  his  neck,  shall  be  suddenly  destroyed, 
and  that  without  remedy.”  The  nation  has  sinned. 

I.  In  the  theory  of  the  government. 

1.  Athiests,  Deists,  Jews.  Pagans,  and  profane  men,  of  the  most  aban¬ 
doned  manners,  are  as  eligible  to  office  by  the  United  States  constitution, 
as  men  fearing  God  and  hating  covetousness.  Its  words  are  : — “No  re¬ 
ligious  test  shall  ever  be  requirnd  as  a  qualification  to  any  office  or  pub¬ 
lic  trust  under  the  United  States.”  U.  S.  Con.  art.  YI.  sec.  III.  God's  law 
is  : — “Elect  able  men,  such  as  fear  God,  men  of  truth,  hating  covetous¬ 
ness.”  “He  that  ruleth  over  men  must  be  just,  ruling  in  the  fear  of 
God.”  This  command  of  Jehovah  prescribes,  at  least,  Three  Religious 
Tests ,  in  these  words. 

1.  “Fearers  of  God;” — those  who  worship  him.  How  shall  we  know 
that  any  man  fears  God,  unless  he  makes  a  profession  of  his  faith  in 
Christ  ? 

2.  “ Men  of  truth ” — such  as  are  sound  in  the  faith,  not  mere  professors 
of  religion — for  the  Pagan  professes  to  fear  God ;  but  one  wffio  receives 
the  true  gospel  of  God. 

3.  “  Hating  covetousness” — just  men”  in  their  dealings — men  who  per¬ 
form  the  duties  in  the  second  table  of  the  law — not  profane  swearerss, 
Sabbath  breakers,  card  players,  and  libertines.  This  is  common  sense  too. 
What  can  be  more  absurd  than  to  set  over  a  nation  as  rulers,  men  who 
hate  God,  men  of  lies,  and  lovers  of  covetousness  ?  But  the  constitution 
says  expressly,  that  what  God  commands,  shall  not  be  done.  This  is 
surely  a  very  great  and  direct  moral  evil  in  the  constitution.  The  con¬ 
stitution,  in  effect,  says  to  Prince  Messiah,  your  command  is,  that  your 
Mends  shall  be  intrusted  with  power :  but  it  shall  not  be  done.  Your  en¬ 
emies  are  as  competent  to  bear  rule,  as  your  friends. 


20 


t 


2.  There  is  no  recognition  of  the  law  of  God,  in  the  instrument  which 
gives  the  nation  its  national  organization. — The  law  of  God  is  not  named 
and  there  is  not  any  allusion  to  such  a  law,  so  far  as  the  writer  has  perceiv¬ 
ed,  except  in  two  instances.  The  one  is  in  these  words : — “I  do  solemnly 
swear  (or  affirm)that  I  will  faithfully  execute  the  office  of  President  of 
the  United  States.*7  Art.  II.  sec.  I.  specification  VIII.  Here  there  is  an 
allusion  to  the  third  commandment,  or  at  least  to  the  declaration,  ‘-'An 
oath  for  the  conformation  is  an  end  of  all  strife/*’  It  is  pleasant  to  a  lover 
of  the  Lord’s  law,  to  find  even  this  remote  allusion.  But  was  it  intended 
to  honor  the  law  of  the  Lord,  as  recorded  in  the  Holy  Scriptures  ?  How¬ 
ever  agreeable  to  the  benevolent  heart  to  think  so,  we  are  constrained  to 
think  not.  The  affirmation  will  pass  for  the  oath.  Many  infidels  swear 
oaths  in  courts,  without  intending  to  admit  the  truth  of  the  Scriptures, 
or  to  honor  Messiah,  Infidels  were  known  at  the  time  when  the  consti¬ 
tution  was  framed,  to  swTear  oaths  of  office,  and  to  swear  as  witnesses. 
Heathens  are  known  to  have  sworn  very  solemnly  by  Jove,  Hercules,  &c. 
The  mere  swearing  is  not  at  all  distinctive  of  Paganism,  Mahometanism, 
or  of  Christianity. 

The  other  instance  occurs,  Art.  I.  sec.  VII.  specification  II.  “If  any 
bill  shall  not  be  returned  by  the  President  within  ten  days  (Sundays  ex¬ 
cepted)  after  it  shall  have  been  presented,”  &c.  This  implies  that  gov¬ 
ernment  business  may  be  omitted  on  the  Sabbath.  The  constitution 
would  not  compel  the  President  to  spend  the  Sabbath  in  examining  bills. 
He  may,  if  he  chooses,  have  that  day  for  devotion.  As  a  matter  of  fact, 
such  was  the  influence  of  Christianity  in  the  nation,  that  congressional, 
judiciary,  and  executive  proceedings  were  suspended  on  the  Lord’s  day. — 
The  constitution  did  not  enjoin  its  violation  by  the  executive.  But  its 
binding  force  is  not  affirmed  even  by  fair  implication.  The  suspension 
of  the  legislative  business,  the  closing  of  the  federal  courts,  and  the  Presi¬ 
dent’s  not  issuing  proclamations,  on  the  first  day  of  the  week,  with  the 
hiring  of  a  chaplain  by  Congress,  do  not  altogether  amount  to  a  recogni¬ 
tion  of  the  law  of  God,  much  less  of  the  Christian  religion.  Thousands  of 
professed  deists,  men  who  regard  the  whole  Bible  as  a  fabrication  of  priest¬ 
craft,  do  close  their  shops  and  offices  on  the  Sabbath,  hire  preachers,  and 
go  to  church  on  that  holy  day,  without  at  all  intending  to  pledge  them¬ 
selves  to  Christianity.  The  mention  of  Sunday  in  this  connection,  is  a 
mere  accommodation  to  popular  sentiment. 

It  is,  indeed,  astonishing,  that  in  a  Christian  commonwealth,  where  the 
great  majority  of  the  citizens  were  attached  to  some  Protestant  church,  a 
constitution  of  government  could  have  been  framed,  with  only  two  very 
remote  and  indirect  allusions  merely  to  the  law  and  Bible  of  God.  The 
tact  demonstrates,  how  very  careful  the  framers  were  to  avoid  every  word 
that  might  be  construed  into  a  declaration  ol  respect  to  the  statutes  of  Je¬ 
hovah. 

That  the  national  functionaries  have  so  understood  it  all  along,  appears 
from  the  reports  made  by  Col.  Johnston,  both  in  the  Senate  and  in  the 
House  of  Representatives ;  and  from  the  fact  that  Congress  made  the  doc¬ 
trine  of  the  reports,  national  principles  ;  tor  they,  on  the  reasons  assigned, 
refused  io  stop  the  mail.  The  essence  of  both  these  reports  is,  that  the 
law  of  God  docs  not  bind  the  government  of  the  United  States,  and  that 
to  admit  the  obligation  of  the  statutes  of  Jehovah,  would  be  ( horresco  re - 
f evens)  a  monstrous  evil.  Truly,  Messiah  is  a  merciful  Prince. 


n 


3.  The  “  King  of  kings  and  Lord  of  lords”  is  not  acknowledged,  by  the 
remotest  allusion,  to  the  claims  of  his  holy  government.  Hence  the  na¬ 
tion  says : — 44  We  will  not  have  this  man  to  reign  over  us.”  A  funda¬ 
mental^  theory,  or  maxim  on  which  the  convention  proceeded,  rendered 
such  an  acknowledgement  impossible.  The  maxim  is  this : — “  All  men, 
whatever  may  be  their  religious,  or  irreligious  tenets,  have  an  equal  right 
to  participate"  in  the  civil  privileges  of  the  commonwealth.”  There  were 
infidels  in  the  convention — at  present,  it  is  sufficient  to  mention  Dr. 
Franklin  and  Mr.  Madison.  Had  there  been  any  act  of  homage  to  Mes¬ 
siah,  Lord  of  all,  it  would  have  excluded  every  infidel,  Jew  and  Pagan, 
from  all  those  offices,  to  which  an  oath  to  the  constitution  was  annexed. 

To  have  honored  Christ,  would  have  introduced  a  religious  test.  The 
utter  exclusion  of  any  moral  qualifications  or  test,  rendered  it  impossible 
to  acknowledge  either  Messiah  the  King,  or  the  Christian  religion,  with¬ 
out  self-contradiction.  The  right  to  reign  and  the  duty  of  obedience 
are  correlates.  It  is  certainly  true,  since  Messiah  is  the  Prince  of  the  kings 
of  the  earth,  that  the  national  constitution  is  sinful,  in  refusing  this  alle¬ 
giance. 

However  injidels  may  “  rage,  and  imagine  a  vain  thing,”  they  that  love 
the  Saviour  of  sinners,  and  wish  to  honor  the  Son  of  God  who  died  to  save 
them,  will  mourn  over  the  dishonor  which  has  been  done  to  their  Lord 
and  King,  by  this  nation. 

4.  The  constitution  positively  declares  that  nothing  shall  be  done  by 
the  government  for  the  advancement  of  the  Christian  religion.  44  Con¬ 
gress  shall  make  no  law  respecting  an  establishment  of  religion.”  Amend¬ 
ments,  Art.  I.  The  words  are  not  Congress  shall  not  establish  any  reli¬ 
gion  :  but  44  no  law  respecting\\he  establishment  of  religioni”  Whatever 
has  any  respect  to  religion,  or  tends  to  give  it  stability,  is  prohibited  by 
this  article.  Any  act  of  homage  to  Almighty  God,  is  religion.  Any 
law  that  would  encourage  or  countenance  an  act  of  homage  to  Jehovah, 
would  tend  to  the  establishment  of  religion.  Here,  then,  is  an  institution 
which  some  men  say  is  an  ordinance  of  God,  but  which  does  solemnly 
disclaim  the  doctrine  of  being  ordained  by  him  ;  and  which  formally  pro¬ 
claims  that  it  will  not  do  any  thing  to  promote  the  glory  of  his  holy  name. 
What  would  we  say  of  the  ambassador  of  a  nation,  who  would  publicly 
announce  Iris  intention  to  do  no  act  for  promoting  the  honor  of  those 
whom  he  represents?  We  have  the  promise  of  our  God,  that  in  New 
Testament  times  it  shall  be  otherwise  :  44  Kings  shall  be  thy  nursing  fa¬ 
thers,  and  their  Queens  thy  nursing  mothers;  they  shall  bow  down  to 
thee  with  their  face  towards  the  earth,  and  lick  up  the  dust  of  thy  feet.” 
On  the  theory  of  the  United  States  Constitution,  this  cannot  take  place. 

Why  treat  thus  all  religion  !  Why  disfranchise,  by  a  solemn  act,  the 
church  of  the  living  God  ?  Is  the  benevolent,  pure,  holy,  heaven-born  re¬ 
ligion  of  Emmanuel,  hostile  to  the  happiness  of  the  republic  ?  Shall 
commerce,  aggriculture,  the  arts,  literature— all  the  other  lawful  pursuits, 
be  countenanced,  fostered,  protected,  and  established,  on  as  permanent  a 
basis,  as  possible,  and  the  true  religion  be  put  under  the  ban  of  the  em¬ 
pire?  But  say  they,  let  religion  alone.  Do  they,  however,  adopt  the 
laiscz  nous  faire ,  in  relation  to  manufactures  and  trade?  No.  We  che¬ 
rish  all,  but  respecting  the  advancement  of  religion,  congress  shall  never 
do  any  thing.  When  the  child  is  born,  were  the  father  and  mother,  to  say, 
laisez  V infant  faire — leave  the  babe  to  itself— >would  that  be  to  act  as"  a 
jmrsing  father  and  mother?  Surely  not.  There  must  be  a  for  different 


22 


kind  of  constitution  among  the  nations,  when  the  promise  is  fulfilled,  that 

Kmgs  shall  be  nursing  fathers.55  God  Almighty  says,  in  the  text  quoted 
above,  that  civil  rulers  shall  nurse  the  church — the  Constitution  says  thev 
shall  not.  Which  is  right?  “Ah!  sinful  nation,  laden  with  iniquity 
God  spares  the  world  for  the  sake  of  the  redeemed,  that  his  moral  subjects 
on  earth  may  be,  by  the  gospel  of  his  Son,  reclaimed  from  sin  and  rebel¬ 
lion  that  on  the  earth,  through  his  own  holy  religion,  he  may  expatiate 
the  glories  of  redemption.  The  Constitution  says  religion  shall  be  dis¬ 
countenanced  by  the  Congress  of  the  United  States. 

5.  They  e  is  710  aclcnowlcdgmc7it  of  Almighty  God ,  nor  any,  even  the, 
most  remote ,  token  of  national  subjection  to  Jehovah,  the  Creator .  It  is 
believed,  that  there  never  existed,  previous  to  this  constitution,  any  na- 
tionaj  deed  like  this,  since  the  creation  of  the  world,  A  nation  having  no 
God  !  In  vain  shall  we  search  the  annals  of  pagan  Greece  and  Rome,  of 
modern  Asia,  Africa,  pagan  America,  and  the  isles  of  the  sea— they  have 
all  worshipped  some  god.  The  United  States  have  none'.  Rut  here  let 
us  pause  over  this  astounding  fact.  Was  it  a  mere  omission  ?  Did  the 
convention  that  framed  the  constitution  forget  to  name  the  living  God? 
Was  this  an  omission  in  some  moment  of  national  phrenzy,  when  the  na- 
tion  foigot  God  ?  That,  indeed,  were  a  great  sin.  God  says,  “  the  nations 
tha  l  f  07 get  God,  shall  be  turned  into  hell/5  It  was  not,  however,  a  thought¬ 
less  act,  an  undesigned  omission.  It  was  a  deliberate  deed,  whereby  God 
was  rejected ,  and  in  the  true  atheistical  spirit  of  the  whole  instrument, 
and  of  course,  done  w  ith  intent  to  declare  national  independence  of  the 
±jOid  of  hosts.  W e  have  seen  that  the  convention  was  convened  to  cor¬ 
rect  v v hat  was  thought  to  be  improper  in  the  old  articles  of  confederation. 
These  articles  were  ratified  1778,  July  9th.  The  enacting  clause  has 
these  words:— “And  whereas,  it  hath  pleased  the  great  Governor  of 
the  world,  to  incline  the  hearts  of  the  legislatures,  w~e  respectively  repre¬ 
sent  in  Congress,  to  approve  of  the  said  articles  of  confederation— know 
ye,  that  we  entirely  ratify,55  &c.  Here  the  formal  reason  of  the  ratification 
is,  that  the  great  Governor  of  the  world  inclined  the  hearts  of  the  state  le¬ 
gislatures  to  adopt  the  instrument.  This  did  acknowledge  Jehovah.  De¬ 
ists  could  unite,  and  Deists  did  unite  in  this  deed  ;  for  there  was  no  recog¬ 
nition  of  Messiah.  Among  the  Deists  who  subscribed  these  articles,  we 
find  Thomas  McKean  and  Doct.  Franklin,  It  was  a  radical  defect  in  that 
deed,  that  the  Lord  Jesus  was  not  recognised  as  Sovereign  of  ihe  United 
States.  It  was  a  perilous  period  in  our  history,  and  perhaps  even  Deists 
had  some  faint  knowledge  of  the  nation’s  need  of  the  divine  aid. 

When,  on  the  17th  of  December,  1787,  nine  years,  three  months  and 
eight  days  after  the  ratification  of  the  old  Articles,  the  present  United 
States  Constitution  w'as  adopted ;  there  was  no  allusion  to  “  the  Great 
Governor  of  the  Universe.”  Can  any  man  believe,  that  the  name  of  the 
Lord  God  was  thus  expunged,  without  agreement  by  learned  men,  wdio  ex¬ 
amined  every  thing  ?  No.  But  we  have  evidence  that  God  was  formally 
and  solemnly  rejected.  “  Franklin,55  it  is  said,  by  men  who  had  an  oppor¬ 
tunity  of  knowing,  “  proposed  in  the  convention,  the  introduction,  into 
the  Constitution,  of  an  article  professing  submission  to  the  Lord,  and  he 
was  overruled.5’  (Sermons  on  the  late  war,  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  McLeod,  of 
New  York,  pp.  56,  57,  See  the  Manuscript  Minutes  of  the  Convention.) 
Dr.  Franklin  was  notoriously  a  Deist,  and  those  who  overruled  his  mo¬ 
tion,  must  have  been  worse  than  Deists — even  Atheists.  Can  any  man 
doubt  that  they  were  indeed,  “without  God,”  or  Atheists?  Who,  of 


them  all,  gave  any  decisive  evidence  of  their  being.  Christians,  except 
William  Few?  I  do  not  speak  certainly.  But  a  biography  of  the  mem¬ 
bers  of  that  convention,  as  to  their  fearing  God ,  would  not,  it  is  believed, 
add  much  to  the  moral  honor  of  our  country. 

When  the  country  was  plainly  in  peril,  and  the  arm  of  Jehovah  per¬ 
ceived  to  be  necessary  for  our  defence,  then  the  God  of  creation  was  ac¬ 
knowledged.  But  when  he  had  conducted  our  armies  to  victory,  and  set 
our  country  free  from  the  oppression  of  foreign  despotism — then  with  a 
blackness  of  ingratitude,  and  an  atheistical  impiety,  his  name  was  erased 
from  the  fundamental  law  of  the  empire.  There  was  still  another  aggra¬ 
vation  of  this  national  sin,  After,  as  is  affirmed,  I  think,  on  good  autho¬ 
rity,  the  convention  had  been  some  days  in  session,  and  was  rent  by  the 
most  violent  passions,  with  little,  perhaps  no  prospect  of  success  in  form¬ 
ing  a  constitution,  it  was  proposed  by  Franklin,  and  resolved  to  open  the 
sessions  by  prayer  to  God.  The  business,  from  the  adoption  of  that  mea¬ 
sure,  proceeded  with  some  degree  of  harmony.  After  such  a  demonstra¬ 
tion  of  the  presence  and  mercy  of  the  Lord,  was  it  not  enough,  (as  Dr. 
Mason,  of  New  York,  said  in  another  case.)  “  to  make  the  Devil  blush” 
that  they  proceeded  deliberately  to  blot  his  name  from  the  constitution  ? 

Of  the  convention,  in  this  and  not  a  few  other  transactions,  it  may  he 
said,  in  scripture  style,  “  They  did  not  that  which  was  right  in  the  sight 
of  the  Lord.” 

Millions  of  men  are  held  in  bondage,  under  the  most  solemn  sanction  of 
the  United  States  Constitution.  Slaves  had  been  introduced  into  the 
colony  of  Virginia,  by  a  Dutch  slave  trader,  many  years  before  the  com¬ 
mencement  of  the  Revolution.  The  planters  of  the  southern  colonies,  had 
formed  the  habit  of  executing  their  labor  by  slaves.  Many,  indeed  a 
great  majority  of  the  people  of  the  northern  and  middle  states,  were  al¬ 
ways  adverse  to  negro  slavery.  The  members  of  the  convention  from  the 
north  were  opposed,  generally,  to  ths  slave  trade.  Yet  some  of  the  Bos¬ 
ton  and  Rhode  Island  merchants  had  embarked  a  large  capital  in  this  traf¬ 
fic.  The  members  from  the  south  refused  to  accede  to  the  formation  of  a 
permanent  bond  of  union,  unless  their  right  both  to  hold  slaves  and  to  im¬ 
port  them,  was  guaranteed  by  the  constitution.  Perhaps  no  topic  excited 
in  the  convention  a  deeper  interest  than  this  one.  Notwithstanding  all 
that  had  been  taught  in  the  declaration  of  independence,  all  the  treasure 
that  had  been  expended,  and  all  the  blood  that  had  been  shed  in  the  cause 
of  freedom,  yet  the  convention  did  guarantee  the  right  of  importing  slaves 
from  the  time  of  the  adoption  of  the  constitution  until  the  1st  of  January, 
1808 — a  period  of  twenty  years,  three  months  and  thirteen  days.  I  am 
thus  particular,  for  every  one  ot  these  days  and  even  the  hours  must  he  ac¬ 
counted  for  to  Messiah  the  Prince,  “  who  came  to  proclaim  liberty  to  the 
captives,  and  the  opening  of  the  prison  to  them  that  are  bound.” 

The  constitution  says : — “  The  migration,  or  importation  of  such  per¬ 
sons  as  any  of  the  states  now  existing  shall  think  proper  to  admit,  shall 
•not  be  prohibited  by  Congress  prior  to  the  year  1808.”  Art  I.  sec.  IV. 
specification  I.  The  convention  blushed  to  name  the  negro  slave  and  the 
slave  trade,  and  used  a  circumlocution,  as  if  a  figure  of  speech  would  con¬ 
ceal  thaiTiniquity  for  which  conscience  was  chiding  them,  when  the  article 
was  penned  and  ratified.  It  will  not  avail  to  say,  that  the  deed  was  merely 
passing  it  by.  It  was  much  more.  The  slave  ships,  with  cargoes  of  Af- 
frican  slaves,  were  as  much  under  the  protection  of  the  American  stars 


24 


« 


and  stripes,  as  the  flannel  of  Britain,  or  the  bar  iron  of  Sweden.  It  was  a 
national  slave  trade. 


As  this  species  of  property  was  acquired,  under  the  sanction  of  the  con¬ 
stitution,  so  it  is  retained  under  a  solemn  national  guaranty.  The  United 
States  are  the  slave  holders,  as  well  as  the  several  states,  and  the  indivi¬ 
dual  masters.  Direct  taxes,"  says  the  constitution,  “  shall  be  apportion¬ 
ed  among  the  several  states,  according  to  their  respective  numbers,  which 
shall  be  determined,  by  adding  to  the  whole  number  of  free  persons,  three 
fifths  of  all  other  'persons."  U.  S.  Con.  Art.  1.  sec.  II.  specification  II. — 
These  “  other  persons'  are  slaves,  an  abominable  term,  which  they  were 
as  before  ashamed  to  employ,  while  they  sanctioned  the  evil.  These 
slaves  are  then  taxable  property,  by  the  letter  and  spirit  of  the  constitu¬ 
tion.  So  the  article  is  expounded  by  the  Federalist,  written  by  Messrs. 
Hamilton,  Jay,  and  Madison,  and  by  all  writers  on  the  national  jurispru¬ 
dence,  who  are  quoted  as  the  best  authority.  “  The  federal  constitution, 
therefore  decides,  with  great  propriety,  on  the  case  of  our  slaves,  when  it 
views  them  in  the  mixed  character  of  persons  and  property  Imported 
under  the  protection  of  the  American  flag,  and  secured  to  their  owners  by 
the  plighted  faith  of  the  nation,  as  property,  they  are  now  Held  by  the  na¬ 
tion,  as  a  part  of  its  wealth  ;  “  when,”  to  use  the  words  of  Mr.  Jay,  in  the 
Federalist,  “  a  tariff  of  contribution  is  to  he  adjusted.”  Fed.  No.  LV.  n. 
206 


Fed.  No.  LY.  p.. 


This  doctrine  is  more  distinctly  laid  down  in  other  parts  of  the  consti¬ 
tution.  “  The  United  States  shall  protect  each  of  them  (the  states)  against 
domestic  violence.'*  Art.  IV.  sec.  1Y.  “Domestic  violence”  is  a  phrase, 
which,  in  this  connection,  can  neither  be  misunderstood,  nor  explained 
away.  Since  the  slaves  are  taxed  as  the  property  of  the  nation,  the  con¬ 
stitution  pledges  the  power  of  the  U.  States  to  sustain  the  master  against 
any  violent  measures  that  the  slave  may  employ  to  recover  his  freedom. 

Again  :  “  No  person  held  to  service  or  labor,  in  one  state,  under  the 
laws  thereof,  escaping  into  another,  shall,  in  consequence  of  any  law  or 
regulation  therein,  be  discharged  from  said  service  or  labor,  but  shall  be 
delivered  up  on  claim  of  the  party  to  whom  such  service  or  labor  may  be 
due.”  U.  S.  Con.  Art.  1.  sec.  IV.  If  the  slave  escapes  from  the  state 
where  he  is  enslaved,  to  another,  where  there  are  no  slaves ;  that  other  is 
bound  by  the  constitution  to  deliver  him  up  to  the  master  who  claims  him. 

Slavery,  indeed,  is  made  one  of  the  pillars  of  the  government.  “  Re¬ 
presentatives  shall  be  apportioned  among  the  several  states,  according  to 
iheir  respective  numbers,  which  shall  be  determined  by  adding  to  the 
whole  number  of  free  persons,  three-fifths  of  ail  other  persons.”  Hence, 
the  holding  of  Africans  in  bondage,  is  made  one  of  the  pillars,  on  which 
the  fabric  of  American  freedom  is  made  to  rest ;  thus  committing  the  two 
fold  evil  of  making  slavery  essential  to  the  constitution,  and  of  violating 
the  holy  and  benign  doctrine  of  representation,  which  is  the  palladium  of 
religious  and  civil  liberty. 

That  slave  property  is  guaranteed  by  the  constitution,  has  been  solemn¬ 
ly  decided  by  the  representatives  of  the  nation,  in  many  legislative  acts. — 
After  protracted  argument,  in  Congress,  on  the  question  of  admitting  Mis¬ 
souri,  with  her  slave  holding  constitution,  into  the  Union,  it  was  decided 
in  favor  of  her  admission,  on  the  ground  that  slaves  are  held  under  consti¬ 
tutional  guaranty. 

Congress  has  passed  many  laws,  on  the  subject  of  slaves.  By  one  act, 
the  United  States  courts  are  vested  with  jurisdiction,  in  questions  arising 


£5 


under  the  slave  trade.  By  another,  the  mode  is  prescribed  in  which  runaway 
slaves  shall  be  reclaimed  and  restored  to  their  masters  in  the  non-slave-holding 
states.  By  the  several  acts  of  Congress,  fixing  the  ratio  of  representation,  the 
doctrine  and  the  practice  of  slavery  are  recognized.  (See  Gorden’s  and  Brown’s 
Digest  of  the  laws  of  the  United  States.)  Many  laws  passed  for  the  government 
of  Louisiana,  Alabama,  and  Misisssippi,  before  they  became  states ;  and  of  the 
Floridas,  and  District  of  Columbia,  now  under  territorial  fegime,  respect  slaves.* 

In  all  the  territories,  the  United  States  government  is  the  slave-holder;  for  the 
political  sovereignty  of  the  territory,  is  vested  in  no  intermediate  authority.  All 
the  slave  laws  of  the  District  Of  Columbia  are  enacted  by  the  federal  legislature. 
No  jurist  in  the  nation  has  ever  presumed  to  maintain,  however  adverse  many 
of  them  are  to  slavery,  that  these  ^legislative  acts  of  Congress  are  unconstitu¬ 
tional. 

In  addition  to  all  this  mass  of  evidence,  it  may  be  added,  that  numerous  causes 
have  been,  and  are  every  year  decided  in  the  courts,  in  applying  these  acts ;  and 
every  judge  holds  himself  bound,  by  his  oath  of  office,  to  apply  the  laws  against 
the  African  slave,  whenever  any  question  arises,  on  the  right  of  tenure  between 
him  and  his  master. 

The  late  insurrection  of  the  slaves  of  North  Carolina  and  Virginia,  has  been 
quelled  by  the  United  States  troops,  ordered  out  by  the  President,  as  executor  of 
the  laws  of  the  Lhiited  States.  So  then,  we  have  1st  ,  the  convention  that  fra¬ 
med  the  constitution,  embodying  slavery  in  several  parts  of  the  fundamental  law 
of  the  commonwealth.  2.  The  federal  legislature  enacting  laws,  under  the 
provisions  of  the  constitution.  3.  The  judiciary  applying  the  law'  in  adjudica¬ 
tions  of  slave  questions.  4.  The  chief  executive  magistrate,  enforcing  slavery 
by  the  army  of  the  United  States. 

Slavery  is  interwoven  with  the  whole  web  and  texture  of  the  federal  govern¬ 
ment.  All  this  is  in  direct  opposition  to  the  4th  amendment  to  the  constitu¬ 
tion,  which  provides,  that : — - 

“No  person  shall  be  deprived  of  life,  liberty,  or  property,  without  due  pro¬ 
cess  of  law.”  By  what  “ due  process  of  law ”  has  the  African  been  deprived  of 
his  liberty  1  Was  it  a  due  process  of  law  to  make  war  on  the  unoffending 
tribes  of  Africa,  waste  and  destroy  whole  populous  nations,  and  seize,  bind  ih 
chains,  and  sell  to  the  southern  planters,  a  ship  load  of  MEN?  In  1830,  there 
were  in  the  United  States  2,  5 10,  575  Africans,  deprived  oi  their  liberty,  by  no 
other  process  of  law,  than  that  of  Wasting  and  destroying  countries ;  and  of  bin¬ 
ding  and  selling  the  unoffending  children  of  poverty. 

The  United  States  legislature  has  passed  sentence  on  their  own  doings.  By  a 
law  passed  since  1808,  the  slave  trade  is  declared  to  be  piracy. 

In  the  whole  annals  of  legislation,  where  shall  we  find  any  thing  analagous  to 
this?  After  prosecuting  this  trade  nationally ,  for  twenty  years,  three  months, 
and  thirteen  days,  Congress  declares  the  doings  of  slave  traders  piracy  ;  though 
they  had  traded  under  the  protection  of  the  national  flag.  What  are  wre  to  in¬ 
fer,  respecting  him  wrho  holds  property  which  he  acknowledges  to  have  been  ac- 

'  '  f  *  A 

*  The  people  of  the  United  States  do  understand  the  United  States  Constitution  as  vesting 
the  slave  holding  power  in  the  federal  government.  Since  the  text  was] written, the  President, 
at  the  request  of  the  ladies  of  Newbern,  has  stationed  a  body  of  United  States  troops  in  that 
place,  to  protect  them  against  their  domestics.  He  violates,  indeed,  in  this  act,  the  Consti¬ 
tution,  art.  IV.  sec.  IV.  The  protection  “  against  domestic  violence,”  by  the  national  army, 
is  only  at  the  application  of  the  legislature,  or  of  the  state  executive,  “  when  the  legislature 
cannot  be  convened.”  Where  it  otherwise,  the  United  States  troops  might  be  employed  to 
guard  the  tobacco  field,  and  kitchen.  President  Jackson  sends  troops  at  the  application  of  the 
ladies.  Still,  it  illustrates  the  popular  sentiment. 

The  people  of  Pennsylvania  have  petitioned  Congress  to  abolish  slavery  in  the  district  ofCo- 
lumbia.  Mr.  Adams,  in  presenting  the  petition,  takes  it  for  gran  ted,  that  the  supreme  slave 
holding  power  is  vested  in  Congress,  He  is  against  the  petitioners,  as  he  says,  though  intrus¬ 
ted  by  them  with  the  cause  of  humanity.  Somewhat  strange  for  a  northern  man. 


26 


quired  by  piracy  ?  But  there  has  been  no  national  acknowledgement  of  the  sin 
against  God  and  man— no  asking  of  pardon  from  God — no  restitution.  It  is  not 
wonderful  that  the  United  States  Senator  from  Rhode  Island,  who  had  amassed 
a  large  estate  by  trading  in  slaves,  alw’ays  voted  in  the  negative  on  the  passage 
of  the  piracy  bill  through  the  Senate.  We  may  well  believe,  that  he  saw’ before 
his  mind’s  eye,  the  pirate’s  gibbet.  . 

On  the  subject  of  the  evil  thus  sanctioned  by  the  highest  human  anthority  in 
tliis  nation,  Mr,  Jefferson,  in  his  Notes  on  Virginia,  pp.  240—1,  makes  the  fol¬ 
lowing,  among  other  impressive  observations  The  wmole  commerce,  between 
master  and  slave,  is  a  perpetual  exercise  of  the  most  boisterous  passions,  the 
most  unremitting  despotism  on  the  one  part,  and  degrading  submission  the 
other." — ‘-The  man  must  be  a  prodigy  who  can  retain  his  manners  and  morals 
undepraved  by  such  circumstances." — “Can  the  liberties  of  a  nation  be  thought 
secure,  when  we  have  removed  their  only  firm  basis,  a  conviction  in  the  minds 
of  the  people  that  these  liberties  are  the  gift  of  God  ?” — “That  they  are  to  be  vi¬ 
olated  but  with  his  wrath  ?”  The  following  sentiment,  though  a  thousand  times 
quoted,  will  bear  to  be  many  times  yet  repeated  “  Indeed,  I  tremble  for  my 
country,  when  I  reflect  that  God  is  just :  and  that  his  justice  cannot  sleep  for¬ 
ever  ;  that  considering  numbers,  nature  and  natural  means  only,  a  revolution  of 
the  wheel  of  fortune,  an  exehange  of  situation  is  among  probable  events  :  that 
it  may  become  probable  by  supernatural  interference.  The  Almighty  hasno at¬ 
tribute  which  can  take  part  with  us  in  such  a  contest-" — “With  what  execra¬ 
tion  should  the  statesman  be  loaded,  who  permitting  one  half  the  citizens  thus  to 
trample  on  the  rights  of  the  other,  transforms  those  into  despots,  and  these  into 
enemies,  destroys  the  morals  of  the  one  part,  and  the  amor  pair uz  of  the  other  ?" 
Twelve  states  do  all  this  now’,  solemnly,,  deliberately,  and  under  the  form's  of 
Law.  The  convention  that  framed  the  National  Constitution  have  done  this. 
The  United  Stages  Congress,  Senate,  and  Executive,  have  been  doing  this,  for 
more  than  forty-four  years.  They  have  thus  dishonored  Messiah  the  Prince, 
who  is  the  friend  of  liberty;  for  he  came  “  to  proclaim  liberty  to  the  captive, 
and  the  opening  of  the  prison  to  them  that  are  bound.'1 

These  moral  evils  embodied  in  the  doctrines  of  the  fundamental  law  of  the 
empire,  have  produced  practical  results,  over  which  every  true  desciple  of 
Christ,  and  every  Christian  patriot,  will  mourn. 

1st.  Ungodly  men  have  occupied,  and  do  now’  occupy,  many  of  the  official 
stations,  in  the  government.  *  The  clause  of  the  constitution,  barring  all  mor 
*1  qualifications,  lias  not  been  a  dead  letter.  There  have  been  seven  Presidents 
oi  the  United  Slates — and  of  en<?h  of  them  it  may  be  said,  as  Jehovah  says  of  the 
i  kings  of  Israel,  after  the  revolt  of  the  tribes,  «  FT*  did  that  which  was  evil  in 

the  sight  of  the  Lord.” 

Washington  wras  raised  up,  in  the  providence  of  God,  like  Cyrus  of  Persia, 
and  qualified  for  great  achievements. — He  was  an  able  captain,  and  an  instru¬ 
ment  of  much  temporal  good,  as  a  statesman.  Few,  if  any,  prominent  men.  in 

*  Tn  tire  House  of  Representatives  of  thislSfate,  at  the  election  Of  chaplain,  a  motion  was 
fnade  to  dispense  with  prayer.  In  the  discussion,  Mr.  Myers,  a  Jewish  representative  from 
New-York,  took  an  active  part,  against  prayer. — This  was  in  character,  as  all  the  chaplains 
pray  in  the  name  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  whom  his  fathers  crucified,  and  whom  he  rejects  as  an 
imposter.  Yet,  for  a  Jew  to  oppose  prayer,  as  offered  up  in  the  ligislature  of  a  Christian  coun¬ 
try,  was  an  act  of  discourtesy  to  the  Christian  people  whom  he  represents,  that  we  would 
scarcely  have  expected  from  a  gentleman  of  the  bar,  who  has  been  called  “  a  learned  and 
honorable  Israelite. q  .  ,  , 

Mr.  Granger,  the  late  Anti-Masonic  candidate  for  governor,  made  an  able  speech  in  favor,  of 
legislative  prayer.  Twenty  seven  members  voted  against  prayer  to  the  God  of  Heaven,  in  the 
Assembly  !  Are  they  disciples  ofThomas  Taine  ? 

“Why  do  the  heathen  rage,  and  the  people  imagine  a  vain  thing?  The  kings  ofthe  earth 
set  themselves,  and  the  rulers  take  counsel  together  against  the  Lord  and  against  his  Anointed, 
gaying,  Let  us  break  their  bands  asunder  and  cast  their  cords  from  us.  He  that  sits  in  heaven 
shall  laugh.  The  Lord  shall  have  them  in  derision.”  Psalm  ii.  I — 4, 


27 


any  nation,  have  been  endowed  by  the  common  gifts  of  the  Spirit,  with  more 
ennobling  qualities  than  the  first  President  of  this  nation.  His  fame  fills  the 
civilized  world.  It  is  to  the  honor  of  the  Protestant  Religion,  that  this  country 
produced  such  a  man.  What  was  Bolivar  compared  with  Washington  ?  All 
this  praise  may  be  awarded  to  one  who,  like  the  amiable  young  man  in  the  gos- 
ple,  went  away  from  Jesus  sorrowful,  because  he  had  great  possessions.” 

There  is  no  satisfactory  evidence  that  Washington  was  a  professor  of  the 
Christian  religion,  or  even  a  speculative  believer  in  its  divinity,  before  he  retir¬ 
ed  from  public  life.*  In  no  state  paper,  in  no  private  letter,  in  no  conversation, 
is  he  known  to  have  declared  himself  a  believer  in  the  Holy  Scriptures,  as  the 
word  of  God.  General  eulogy,  by  a  Weems,  or  a  Ramsey,  will  not  satisfy  an 
enlightened  enquirer.  The  faith  of  the  real  believer  in  the  word  cf  God,  is  a 
principle  so  powerfully  operative,  that  you  cannot  conceal  “  its  light  under  a 
bushel.”  “  It  works  by  love.”  “  Out  of  the  abimdanee  of  the  heart,  the  mouth 
speaketh.”  Is  it  probable  that  he  was  a  true  believer  in  Jesus  Christ  and  his 
Bible,  when  in  times  so  trying,  and  in  a  Christain  nation,  he  wrote  thousands 
of  letters,  and  yet  never  uttered  a  word,  from  which  it  can  be  fairly  inferred 
that  he  was  a  believer  ?  Who  ever  questioned  whether  Theodosius  or  Charle¬ 
magne  believed  the  Bible  I  11  He  that  is  not  against  us  is  for  us.”  And  it  is 
true,  that  he  who  is  not  for  us,  is  against  us, 

Washington  did  pray,  it  is  said,  in  secret,  on  hi3  knees,  during  the  battle  of 
Brandywine.  That  may  be  true,  and  yet,  like  Thomas  Paine,  who  is  known  to 
have  prayed,  he  may  have  been  an  unbeliever.  Is  it  probable  that  he  would 
have  attended  balls,  theaters,  and  the  card  table,  had  he  been  a  desciple  of  Christ  ? 
Rousseau,  an  avowed  infidel,  has  said  more  in  honor  of  Christ,  than  is  known  to 
have  been  uttered  by  Washington.  He  was  a  slave  holder,  which  was  doing 

evil  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord.”  His  sabbaths  were  not  spent  as  the  “  fearers  of 
Lord”  employ  that  holy  day.  His  death,  as  recorded  by  Dr.  Ramsey,  is  much 
more  like  a  Heathen  Philosopher’s,  than  like  that  of  a  Saint  of  God. 

He  was  President  of  the  convention,  that  voted  the  name  of  the  living  God 
out  of  the  Constitution.  His  influence  was  great  among  the  members  of  that 
body.  Had  he  taken  part  with  Dr.  Franklin,  in  the  attempt  to  have  an  ac¬ 
knowledgement  of  God  inserted  in  the  Constitution,  they  could  hardly  have  fail¬ 
ed  of  success.  The  conviction  forces  itself  upon  us,  that  that  act  of  national  im¬ 
piety,  was  done  with  the  approbation  of  Washington.  It  is  to  his  everlasting 
dishonor,  that  he  is  not  known  to  have  opposed  that  insult  offered  to  the  Lord 
God,  who  had  made  him  so  great  and  successful  a  captain. 

While  President,  in  Philadelphia,  his  habit  was  to  arise  and  leave  the  church, 
when  the  Sacrament  of  the  Supper  was  dispensed.  After  the  Rev.  Dr.  Aber¬ 
crombie  had  preached  a  faithful  sermon  against  the  evil  example  thus  set  by  the 

^Jefferson  says,  (vol.  iv.  p.  572.)  “  February  1,1800  —Dr.  Rush  tells  me,  that  he  had  it  from 
Asa  Green,  that  when  the  Clergy  addressed  Gen.  Washington,  on  his  departure  from  the  go¬ 
vernment,  it  was  observed  in  their  consultation,  that  he  never  on  any  occasion,  said  a  word  to 
the  public  that  showed  a  belief  in  the  Christian  religion,  and  they  thought  they  should  so  pen 
their  address,  as  to  force  him  at  length  to  declare  publicly  whether  he  was  a  Christian  or  no;. 
They  did  so.  However,  he  observed,  the  old  fox  was  too  cunning  for  them.  He  answered 
every  article  of  their  address  particularly,  except  that,  which  he  passed  over  without  notice. 
Rush  observes,  he  never  did  say  a  v/ord  on  the  subject  in  any  of  his  public  papers,  except  in 
his  valedictory  letter  to  the  Governors  of  the  states,  when  lie  resigned  his  commission  in  the 
army,  wherein  he  speaks  of  the  “  benign  influence  of  the  Christian  religion.” 

“  l  know,”  continued  Jeiferson,“  That  Gove. nor.  Morris,  who  pretended  to  be  in  his  secrets, 
and  believed  himself  to  be  so,  has  often  told  me  that  General  Washington  believed  no  more 
of  that  system  than  he  did  himself.” 

Since  the  above  was  written,  the  author  has  heard  some  facts  respecting  Washington’s  last 
days  at  Mount  Vernon,  which  give  reason  to  hope,  that  he  became  at  least  a  speculative  be¬ 
liever  in  revealed  religion,  after  he  withdrew  from  the  cares  of  empire,  and  found  time  for 
investigation  ,  and  devotion.  We  are  sure  that  the  first  President  did  not  acknowledge 
Trince  Messiah.  Dr.  Abercrombie  said  to  the  writer — “Sir,  General  Washington  was  a 
Deist. ’* 


President  of  the  United  States  ;  Gen.  Washington  remarked,  that  he  would  not 
set  such  an  example  for  the  future  ;  and  from  that  time,  he  did  not  attend  church 
on  the  Sabbath,  in  which  the  Lord's  supper  was  dispensed. 

When  the  several  classes  of  citizens,  were  addressing  Washington,  on  his  re¬ 
tirement  from  office,  the  clergy,  who  doubted  his  Christanity,  resolved  to  frame 
an  address,  so  that  he  could  not  evade,  in  his  reply,  an  expression  of  his  faith,ifhe 
were  really  a  believer.  He  did,  however,  evade  it,  and  the  impression  left  on  the 
mind  of  one  of  the  clergy,  at  least,  was  that  he  was  a  Deist. 

Mr.  Jefferson,  affirms  that  Washington  was  a  Deist.  To  be  ashmed  of  Christ, 
which  no  one  can  reasonably  doubt  he  was,  is  infidel.  He  did  not  set  an  exam¬ 
ple  of  goodness,  before  the  nation,  oyer  which,  in  the  providence  of  God,  he  was 
made  President. 

The  Cabinet  which  Gen.  Washington  chose,  indicates  that  he  w7as  not  a  fear¬ 
er  of  the  Lord.  Mr.  Hamilton,  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  was  an  unchaste 
man,  and  died  by  a  duel.  Mr.  Jefferson,  his  Secretary  of  State,  wras  an  avowed 
infidel,  who  mocked  at  every  thing  sacred.  You  know  men  by  their  society. 

Among  the  members  of  the  first  Cabinet  of  the  Federal  Executive,  vital  god¬ 
liness  would  have  been  mocked  as  fanaticism.  Which  of  the  heads  of  depart¬ 
ments  prayed  in  his  family  daily  ?  Which  of  them  sanctified  the  Lord's  day, 
by  abstaining  from  "worldly  conversation,  company,  and  business  ?  The  prac¬ 
tical  piety  of  the  Bible,  as  exhibited  in  Boston's  Fourfold  State,  Edwards  on  the 
Affections,  and  M'  Leod  on  true  Godliness,  had  she  been  introduced  to  the  inmates 
of  Washington's  Palace ,  would  have  been  derided  as  a  fanatic. 

Washington  was  succeeded  by  Mr.  John  Adams,  a  lawer  of  some  distinction, 
who  wrote  and  published  an  .elaborate  work  on  the  Federal  Constitution.  He 
is  the  only  President  of  the  United  States  who  has,  in  public  document,  so  far 
as  the  writer  recollects,  acknowledged  Jesus  Christ.  In  his  proclamation  of  a 
fast,  he  invites  the  nation  tp  seek  the  favor  of  Heaven,  “  through  the  Redeemer .” 

He  sealed  his  Unitarianism,  at  the  communion  table  of  Dr.  Joseph  Priestly, 
the  Soeinian,  in  Philadelphia,  while  he  was  Secretary  of  State.  He  had  been  a 
constant  hearer  and  admirer  of  Priestly,  for  some  time  before  he  ratified,  at  his 
Sacrament,  the  rejection  of  Messiah's  Godhead  * 

Mr.  Jefferson,  the  successor  of  Mr.  Adams,  was  an  avowed  infidel,  and  notor¬ 
iously  addicted  to  immorality.  To  the  common  decency  of  a  Wshington's  or 
Adams'  moral  deportment,  he  had  no  pretentions.  His  Notes  on  Virginia  con¬ 
tains  very  satisfactory  evidence,  that  the  author,  when  he  composed  that  work, 
was  an  enemy  to  the  revealed  religion,  and  a  virulent  foe  to  the  Church  of  God, 
Had  the  people  of  the  United  States  known  the  immorality  of  his  private  liie, 
and.  the  scorn  with  which  he  treated  the  religion  of  Jesus  j  it  is  surely  impossi¬ 
ble  that  he  could  have  been  elected  to  the  first  office  in  their  gift,  j* 

*  Priessly’s  Life,  vol.  jj.  p.  250.  Mr.  Adams  continued  in  office  but  four  years,  and  Dr, 
Priestlv  was  the  chief  instrument  of  preventing  hisre-election.' — Willson  on  Atonement,  pp. 
140—150. 

tThe  gavernment  being  sinful  in  theory,  commenced,  Mr.  Jefferson  affirms,  with  corrupt¬ 
ion  in  practice.  u  I  returned,’*  says  he,  in  his  Ana. (Jeff.  Works,  vol.  iv.  p.  446.)  “  from  that 
Mission”  (to  France)4*  in  the  first  year  of  the  new  government ;  having  landed  in  Virginia,  in 
December,  1789,  and  proceeded  to  New-York,  in  March,  1790,  to  enter  on  the  office  of  .Secre¬ 
tary  of  State.  Here  I  certainly  found  a  state  of  things  which,  of  all  I  ever  contemplated,  I 
lea-t  expected.  Hamilton’s  financial  system  had  then  passed.  It  had  two  objects  :  1.  As  a 
puzzle,  to  exclude  popular  understanding;  2.  As  a  machine  For  the  corruption  of  the  Legisla 
tnre:  for  he  avowed  the  opinion,  that  man  could  be  governed  by  one  of  two  motives  only, 
force  or  interest ;  force,  he  observed,  in  this  country,  was  out  of  the  question,  and  the  interest 
of  the  members  mnst  be  laid  hold  of  to  keep  the  Legisrature  in  unison  with  the  Executive, 
And  with  grief  and  shame  it  mnst  be  acknowledged  that  his  machine  was  not  without  effect  ; 
that  even  in  this,  the  birth  of  our  government,  some  members  were  found  sordid  enough  to 
bend  thetr  duty  to  their  interests,  and  to  look  after  personal,  rather  than  public  good. 

It  is  well  known  that  during  the  war,  the  greatest  difficulty  we  encountered,  was  the  want 
of  money  or  means  to  pay  our  soldiers  who  fought,  or  our  farmers,  manufacturers  ami  inerchan  ts 
who  furnished  the  necessary  supplies  of  food  and  clothing  for  them.  After  the  expedient  of 


£9 


Mr.  Jefferson's  successor,  Mr.  Madison,  was  educated  by  godly  parents/  With? 
a  view  to  the  Ministry  of  reconciliation.  He  commenced  the  study  of  Theolo¬ 
gy,  under  the  care  of  Dr.  Witherspoon,  President  of  Princeton  College,  where  he 
attended  a  prayer  meeting  of  the  pious  youth  of  that  Seminary,  who  -were  pre¬ 
paring  for  the  Holy  Minisiry. 

When  he  returned  from  Princeton  to  his  father's  house  in  Virginia,  Mr.  Jef¬ 
ferson  was  a  young  village  lawyer,  who  had  attracted  the  notice  of  the  neighbour¬ 
hood,  by  his  regular  business  habits,  in  collecting  debts,  drawing  indentures, 
&c.  ,  . 

Madison,  to  the  grief  of  his  parents,-  abandoned  the  study  of  Theology,  and  en¬ 
tered  the  office  of  the  infidel  and  libertine  Jefferson,  as  student  of  law7.  Though 
Mr.  Madison  has  pledged  himself  neither  in  public  nor  private/ td’ the  belief 

paper  money  had  exhansted  itself,  certificates  of  debt  were  given  to  the  individual  creditors 
with  assurances  of  payment,  so  soon  as  the  United  States  shall  be  able.  But  the  d/stresses  of 
these  people  often  Obliged  them  to  part  with  them  for  the  half,  the  fifth,  and  even  the  tenth  of 
their  value  ;  and  speculators  had  made  a  trade  of  cozening  them  from  the  holders/by  the  most 
fraudulent  practices,  and  persuasions  that  they  would  never  be  paid.  In  the  hill  for  finding 
and  paying  these,  Hamilton  made  no  difference  between  the  origiual  holders,  and  the  fraudu¬ 
lent  purchasers  of  this  paper.  Great  and  just  repugnance  arose  at  putting  these  two  classes. of 
creditors  on  the  same  footing,  and  great  exertions  were  used  to  pay  the  former  the  full  value, 
and  to  the  latter,  the  price  only  which  they  had  paid  with  interest.  But  this  would  have  pre¬ 
vented  the  game  which  was  to  be  played,  and  for  which  the  minds  of  greedy  members  were  al¬ 
ready  tutored  and  prepared.  When  the  trial  of  strength,  on  these  several  efforts,  had  indicated 
the  form  in  which  the  bill  would  finally  pass,  this  being  known  withindoors  sooner  than  with¬ 
out,  and  especially,  than  to  those  who  were  in  a  distant  part  of  the  Union,  the  base  scramble 
began.  Couriers  and  relays  of  horses  by  land,  and  swift  sailing  pilot  boats  by  sea-,  were  fly¬ 
ing  in  all  directions.  Active  partners  and  agents  were  associated  and  employed  in  every 
state,  town  and  country  [neighbourhood,  and  this  paper  was  bought  up  at  five  shillings,  and 
even[as  low  as  two  shillings,  in  the  pound,  before  the  holder  knew  that  Congress  had  all  ready 
for  its  redemption  at  par.  Immense  sums  were  thus  filched  from  the  poor  and  ignorant,  and 
fortunes  accumulated  by  those  who  had  themselves  been  poor  enough  before. — Men  thus  en¬ 
riched  by  the  dexterity  of  a  leader,  of  course,  the  chief  who  was  leading  them  to  fortune,  ami 
become  the  zealous  instrument  of  all  his  enterprises.” 

Is  there  any  probability  that  there  was  less  sin  in  the  administration,  when  it  was  committed 
to  i  lie  hands  of  Mr.  Jefferson  ?  Had  we  the  secrets  of  his  Cabinet,  as  he  has  given  those  of 
Washington,  what  might  we  expect  ?  A  man  that  speaks  as  he  does  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  the 
Apostle  of  the  Gentiles,  must  have  administered  the  government  corruptly. 

After  speaking  of  the  doctrines  of  Christ  with  some  respect,  he  gays,  (Jeff.  Works,  vol.  iv.  p. 
336:) — “  There  are,  I  acknowledge,  passages  not  free  from  objection,  that  we  may,  with  pro¬ 
bability,  ascribe  to  Jesus  himself.  His  object  was  the  reformation  some  article  in  the  reli¬ 
gion  of  the  Jews,  as  taught  by  Moses.  That  sect  h-ad  presented  for  the  object  of  their  wor¬ 
ship,  a  being  of  terrific  chartacer,  cruel,  vindictive,  capricious  and  unjnst.”  These  are  the 
blasphemies  which  the  popular  political  idol  of  the  day,  utters  against  the  God  of  Israel. 

Of  file  New  Testament  writers,  he  says,  (same  page  '.) — “  We  find  in  the  writ  ings  of  his  bio- 
graphers,  a  ground  work  of  vulgar  ignorance,  of  things  impossible,  of  superstitions,  fanatic¬ 
isms,  and  fabrications.”  Of  the  apostle  of  the  Gentiles,  he  sayS,  vol.  iv.  p.  321 ;  “  Paul  was 
the  great  Coryphzeus,  and  first  corruptor  of  the  doctrine  of  Jesus.” 

The  same  kind  of  venom  dictated  his  portrait  of  all  the  American  Ministers  of  the  Gospel. 

“The  serious  enemies”  of  learning  “  are  the  priests  of  the  different  religious  sects,  to 
whose  spell  on  the  human  mind,  its  improvement  is  ominous.  Hostile  as  these  sects  are,  in 
every  other  point,  they  unite  in  maintaining  their  mystical  tbeogeny.”  So  he  ealls  Christian¬ 
ity.  He  adds: — “  The  Presbyterian  Clergy  are  loudest;  the  most  intolerant  of  all  sects:  tv- 
ranical  and  ambitious  ;  ready  at  the  word  of  the  law-giver,  if  such  a  word  could  be  obtained, 
to  put  the  torch  to  the  pile,  and  kindle  the  flames,  in  which  their  oracie,  Calvin,  consumed  the 
poor  Servitus.” 

What  sentiments  for  a  President  of  the  United  States  to  utter,  respecting  ten  thousand  pro¬ 
fessional  men,  and  by  consequence,  respecting  more  than  9,000,  000  people  who  support  them, 
bv  voluntary  contribution  !  This  is  the  liberality  and  charity  of  Deism.  In  these  posthumous, 
atrabilious  effusions  of  a  President  ofthe  nation,  we  have  the  real  light  in  which  the  Church  of 
Gcd  and  her  Ministry  are  viewed,  by  the  infidel  rulers  of  the  land.  Such  are  the  Statesmen 
who  adore  Jefferson,  and  would  banish  prayer  out  of  the  legislatures.  We  have  just  learned, 
that  in  the  General  Court  or  Legislature  of  Massachusetts,  now  in  session  in  Boston,  the 
Fanny  Wright  folks  have  made  a  movement  consentaneous  to  that  of  their  anti-prayer  frater¬ 
nity,  in  the  legislature  of  this  state.  They  have  failed. 

We  have  reason  to  thank  God,  that  the  Church  still  lives,  and  grows,  and  enlightens  more 
and  more,  the  moral  sense  of  the  community.  Temperance  Societies,  Sabbath  Unions,  and 
Bible  institutions  evince,  that  the  hostility  of  Thomas  Jefferson,  like  that  of  bis  prototype 
Thomas  Paine,  has  wasted  its  strength  in  vain  attacks  on  “  the  bulwarks  and  high  towers’* 
of  the  city  of  the  living  God,  “  Salvation  hath  God  appointed  for  wall  and  bulwarks 


30 


»  *  > 

of  Christianity,  yet  he  is  not  known  to  have  used  his  influence,  like  Jefferson, 
in  attempts  to  abolish  the  Christain  faith.  The  value  of  a  religous  education  is 
strikingly  illustrated  in  the  private  character  of  James  Madison.  Jefferson  pro¬ 
bably  made  him  a  deist,  and  yet  his  moral  deportment,  as  it  regards  the  second 
table  of  the  law,  has  been  respectable.  All  the  influence  of  the  infidel  creed,  and 
the  profligacy  of  morals  about  court,  have  not  been  of  sufficient  force  to  demo¬ 
lish  utterly  the  fabric  at  a  religious  education.  For  the  honor  of  the  country, 
we  may  hope  that  he  may  not  contrive  to  die  on  the  4th  of  July. 

Mr.  Monroe  lived  and  died  like  a  second  rate  Athenian  Philosopher. 

Mr.  John  Q.  Adams  and  Gen.  Jackson  are  yet  in  public  life.  Compare  their 
characters  with  those  of  Hezekiah  and  Josiah,  “fearers  of  the  LordJ'  who  reigned 
over  Israel,  and  there  will  be  little  difficulty  in  estimating  the  amount  of  holi¬ 
ness  which  they  practise  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord.  No  Federal  Cabinet,  since 
the  first  formed,  has  given  any  more  evidence  of  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  than  did 
that  of  Washington. 

Some  state  governors  have  been  professors  of  the  Christian  religion.  But  in 
too  many  instances,  the  state  Cabinet  has  resembled,  in  religion,  that  of  the  Fe¬ 
deral  Government. 

There  have  been  seven  governors  of  Pennsylvania,  and  the  same  number  of 
New-York.  Their  characters  have  been  generally  analagous  to  those  of  the  pre¬ 
sidents.  One  in  Pennsylvania,  and  tw'O  in  New-York,  are  believed  to  have  been 
possessors  of  religion.  The  heads  of  departments  in  the  federal  government, 
have  been  with  very  few  exceptions,  destitute  of  all  pretensions  to  the  character 
of  fearers  of  the  Lord.  In  the  session  of  Congress  1829 — 30,  no  more  than  se¬ 
ven  out  of  three  hundred  and  nine  members  of  Congress,  could  be  prevailed  on 
to  meet  and  pray  together.  The  Patron  of  this  city,  wffiose  character  as  an  ex¬ 
emplary  christain  is  wrell  known,  informs  the  writer  of  these  pages,  that  when 
he  was  in  Congress  the  number  of  praying  members  was  greater ;  so  that  there 
is  an  increasing  degeneracy. 

So  unusual  is  practical  religion  among  public  men,  that  to  many  it  would 
seem  ridiculous,  lor  a  governor  to  pray  in  his  family  evening  and  morning.  Can 
any  thing  have  a  more  malign  influence  on  the  cause  of  vital  Godliness,  than 
that  statesmen,  and  officers  of  the  army  and  navy,  wrho  are  avowedly  irreligious, 
and  even  profane  swearers,  card  players,  Sabbath  breakers,  and  libertines — are 
the  constant  themes  of  eulogy'?  The  collision  of  the  factions,  indeed,  begins  to 
render  public  men  objects  of  distrust.  If  we  believe  one  half  of  what  the  public 
journals  assert,  respecting  the  baseness  of  the  leading  politicians- — if  but  a  little 
of  all  that  is  uttered  by  such  men  as  Berrien.  Branch,  Ingham,  &c,  respecting 
their  compeers  is  true,  there  is  a  most  scandalous  degradation  of  moral  prinei- 
pie  among  those  who  should  be  emphatically  “  the  fearers  of  the  Lord" — the 
exemplars  of  religion,  and  the  conservators  of  social  virtue.  Every  patriot, 
who  knowrs  how  low  the  state  of  morals  is  at  the  seat  of  the  general  govern¬ 
ment,  blushes  for  his  country  ;  while  the  genuine  disciple  of  Christ,  “ sighs  and 
cries  for  all  the  abominations  that  be  done f  ( Ezek .  ix.  4.)  in  the  City  of  Washing¬ 
ton.  and  at  the  capitols  of  the  several  states. 

How  rare  are  such  statesmen  as  the  exemplary  Governor  Vroom  of  Newr-Jer- 
sey !  the  late  Governor  Crafts,  and  the  present  Governor  Palmer  of  Vermont ! 
Such  Statesmen  shine  as  bright  lights  amidst  the  surrounding  darkness.  They 
are  not  ashamed  in  private  wralks  of  life,  nor  in  public  documents,  to  acknow¬ 
ledge  themselves  the  disciples  of  Christ  Jesus,  and  the  subjects  of  Messiah  the 
Prince. 

2.  The  Unitarian  heresy  through  the  influence  of  Mr.  Adams,  has  prevailed 
extensively  in  New-England ;  and  deism  in  the  southern  states,  through  that  of 
Mr.  Jefferson, 

When  Mr.  Adams  was  elected  to  the  presidency,  there  was  not  one  of  the 


31 


Congregational  ministers  of  the  New  England  States,  known  to  he  a  Unitarian.* 
By  the  connexion  of  Mr.  Adams  with  Dr.  Priestley  the  books  of  Arians  and  So* 
cinians,  were  placed  in  the  University  of  Boston.  That  the  President  patronized 
these  heresies,  was  enough  to  recommend  them  to  multitudes  of  thoughtless 
young  men.  Harvard  University  in  Boston,  with  very  ample  revenues,  supports 
more  than  twenty  professors,  who  are  all  Unitarians.  It  has  the  command  of  a 
printing  press,  which  diffuses  Unitarian  literature  over  the  whole  nation.  The 
counters  of  the  booksellers  in  Boston  groan  writh  heretical  publications.  The 
majority  of  the  general  court,  or  legislature  of  the  state  of  Massachusetts,  is  be¬ 
lieved  to  have  been  for  several  years  Unitarian.  The  officiating  chaplains  have 
been  Unitarian.  We  have  no  statistics  of  the  Unitarian  clergy ;  for  they  are 
connected  with  the  Congregational  convention  of  the  State  of  Massachusetts; 
and  found  in  the  associations,  and  consociations  of  the  New  England  States  :  bu: 
we  cannot  estimate  too  high  their  numbers  by  setting  it  dowm  two  hundred. — 
They  are  rapidly  insreasing. 

It  is  no  fancy,  no  idle  imagination,  to  trace  this  great  declension  of  the  Puri-, 
tan  churches  of  Boston  and  its  vicinity,  to  the  malign  influence  of  a  Socinian 
President.  Jeroboam  set  up  calves  at  Dan  and  Bethel,  and  his  idolatry  continued, 
until  the  dispersion  of  the  ten  tribes.  The  New  England  heretics  41  have  not  de¬ 
parted  from  the  sins  of  Jeroboam,  the  son  of  Nebat  who  made  Israel  to  sin.” 

Deism  prevailed  long,  and  still  prevails  in  the  southern  states.  As  the  luxu¬ 
riant  oppulence  of  Boston,  derived  from  her  trade  with  the  Indies,  prepared  her 
for  the  reception  of  Unitarianism  ;  so  the  demoralizing  influence  of  slavery  li¬ 
the  south,  paved  the  way  for  the  spread  of  Deism  from  the  populace  by  Mr.  Je  f¬ 
ferson. 

His  Notes  on  Virginia,  and  the  conversations,  wfliich  a  president  of  his  talents 
and  popularity  held  with  his  special  friends,  could  not  fail  to  corrupt  the  south¬ 
ern  people.  His  gross  blasphemies  wfliich  he  prepared  for  posthumous  publica¬ 
tion,  and  which  his  grandson,  Mr.  Randolph,  has  published  in  his  life,  were  re¬ 
tailed  from  year  to  year,  during  his  wffiole  life,  after  his  return  from  France.  The 
power  and  reputation  of  the  President  operated  as  a  premium  for  embracing  in¬ 
fidelity. 

It  is  true,  that  of  late  years  the  name  of  Unitarianism,  has  been  worn  as  a 
mask  by  the  infidels  of  the  south.  But  Deism  lives  and  flourishes  under  the 
shade  of  Jefferson's  name. 

3.  Other  heresies  and  errors  increase  in  all  parts  of  the  nation,  producing  vio¬ 
lent  strifes  and  fierce  passions,  even  in  the  bosoms  of  the  several  denominations 
of  Christians.  Those  w7ho  hold  the  ancient  and  pure  truths  of  the  gospel,  and  de¬ 
sire  to  apply  them  faithfully  as  their  fathers  have  done,  are  reproached  as  bigots, 
by  those  who  have  adopted  more  convenient  creeds,  for  the  purpose  of  flattering 
the  depravity  of  humau  nature,  and  paying  court  to  the  ungodly  great. 

4.  The  morals  of  the  citizens  are  becoming  more  and  more  corrupt.  Boston 
is  nearly  as  immoral  as  as  ancient  Tyre  wras.  How7  are  the  mighty  fallen  !  The 
wrriter  of  these  pages,  in  the  summer  of  1815,  in  travelling  from  Albany  to  Bos¬ 
ton,  and  from  Boston  to  New  Haven,  does  not  recollect  to  have  seen  one  person 
in  a  state  of  intoxication,  nor  to  have  heard  more  than  two  or  three  profane  ex¬ 
pressions. 

In  1821,  only  six  years  afterwards,  making  a  tour  through  New  England, 
from  Hartford  to  Northampton,  thence  to  Boston,  and  through  Rhode  Island  and 
Connecticut,  he  believes  that  he  heard  profane  swearing,  and  saw  indications  m 
intemperance  at  every  public  house,  wffiere  he  called. 

The  Sabbath  is  very  grossly  and  scandalously  violated  in  all  parts  of  the  Unit¬ 
ed  States.  It  is  true,  the  federal  and  state  legislatures,  and  the  courts  of  justice, 

*  This  heresy  denies  the  Divinity  of  the  Saviour ;  the  doctrine  of  the  Holy  Trinity,  and  the 
atonement  of  sin  by  Jesus  Christ  . 


32 


do  yet  adjourn  on  the  Lord's  day.  But  how  do  the  officers  of  government  spend 
their  Sabbaths ?  Which  of  them  reads  the  Holy  Scriptures,  “spending  their 
whole  time  in  the  public  and  private  exercises  of  religion?  ’  The  transportation 
of  tne  mails — the  opening  of  the  post  offiees,  and  the  diffusion  of  political  and 
otner  secular  intelligence,  profane  the  Sabbath,  and  corrupt  the  public  mind. — ■ 
The  bustle  of  steam  boat  or  canal  navigation,  and  travelling  by  stages  and  rail¬ 
road  cars,  have  nearly  divested  the  Lord's  day  of  the  appearance  of  holiness. — 
Few,  very  few  hesitate  to  travel  by  steam-boats  and  canal  packets  on  Sabbath. 
Not  a  few  professors  of  religion,  and  O  shame!  some  ministers  of  the  gospel, 
with  shameless  front,  travel  on  the  Lord's  day  for  mere  secular  objects.  But  we 
must  not  wonder,  however  much  we  regret,  that  these  professors  who  flatter 
vile  men  high  in  places,  will  copy  their  example  in  trampling  under  foot  the 
holy  day.  whrch  has  been  consecrated  by  the  authority  oi  God  to  religion.  Dur¬ 
ing  less  than  fifty  years  that  this  government  has  been  in  operation,  the  sin  of 
drunkenness  has  prevailed  and  increased,  to  an  extent  that  has  filled  with  alarm 
all  good  men. 

To  arrest  these  and  other  evils,  great  efforts  are  made  by  the  friends  of  Chris¬ 
tian  morality.  Much  has  been  done  to  instruct  the  public  in  relation  to  the 
claims  of  the  Sabbath,  and  other  institutions  of  heaven,  upon  all  classes  of  the 
citizens.  They  have  not,  however,  done  much  more  than  to  stay  a  little  the 
progress  of  irreligion. 

-5.  To  support  all  the  immoralities  embodied  in  the  LTnited  States,  and  other 
Constitutions,  those  who  enter  on  nearly  all  civil  offices,  and  the  professors  in 
many  literary  institutions,  in  Pennsylvania,  particularly,  take  solemn  oaths. — 
Where  is  the  man,  who.  believing  as  perhaps  nearly  all  the  citizens  of  the  north¬ 
ern  states  do,  negro  slavery  is  a  moral  evil,  would  lift  up  his  hand  and  sware  to 
recognise,  and  support,  and  aid  men  in  the  commission  of  this  sin?  If  the  nation 
is  chargeable  with  guilt  in  this  matter,  the  sin  surely  rests  on  all  who  bind 
themselves  by  oaths  to  support  those  Constitutions,  in  which  the  evil  is  embo¬ 
died.  The  oath  comprehends  the  evil,  as  well  as  the  good  in  the  instrument. — 
The  moral  evils  entering  into  the  principles  of  the  fundamental  law  of  the  com¬ 
monwealth,  ramify  through  nearly  all  the  political  transactions  of  the  nation. 
Thousands  commit  this  sin  without  a  moment  s  reflection.  Some,  indeed,  reflect , 
and  say,  there  are  immoralities  in  the  Constitution,  but  it  makes  provision  lor 
its  own  amendment  5  therefore,  I  swear  to  the  evils,  intending  to  procui  e  their 
reform  But  what  is  this?  The  thing  sworn  to  is  a  sin.  This  is  dotng  i;  evil 
that  goed  may  come,1’  “whose  damnation, "  God  says,  “is  just.  Kom.  iii.  f-— 
Let  all  the  fearers  of  the  Lord,  all  who  love  to  honor  the  Lord  Jehovah  and  his 
holy  lav/ — all  who  honor  and  adore  Prinee  Messiah,  reflect  on  the  fearful  fact, 
that  nearly  all  the  men  who  enter  on  the  discharge  of  their  official  functions,  are 
qualified  for  those  public  offices,  hy  swearing  an  oath  that  involves  what  is  con¬ 
trary  to  the  law  of  God,  the  rights  of  man,  and  the  honor  and  glory  of  Him  who 
is  King  of  kings  and  Lord  of  lords. 

The  extent  of  this  evil  is  not  a  little  enlarged  by  the  consideration  that  the 
people  who  elect  them  to  office,  choose  them  as  their  representatives,  to  swear  • 
in  the  name  of  their  constituents,  these  immoral  oaths.  It  is  a  maxim  of  law, 
“  quod  facit  per  alium>  facit  per  se.'’  He  that  does  any  act  by  his  delegate,  is  ac¬ 
countable  for  *he  act  as  his  own.  The  spectacle,  then,  is  presented  of  a  whole 
nation,  at  their  annual  eleetton. ^choosing  men  to  swear  as  their  representatives, 

to  an  instrument  that  involves  moral  evils.  .  . 

6.  The  trial  by  jury  is  converted  into  an  instrument  of  oppression.  1  he  jury 
was  instituted  as  the  sanctuary  of  liberty,  as  a  barrier  against  the  encroachments 
of  despotism  on  the  rights  and  liberties  of  the  subject.  How  changed  in  all  the 
slave  holding  states  from  its  original  institution !  rIhe  Africans  are  men.  slave¬ 
holders  may  bluster,  the  friends  of  oppression  may,  and  men  who  seek  the  sul- 


33 


frages  .and  political  adhesion  of  slaveholders,  may  banter;  but  the  Africans  are 
men.  Before  God  and  the  Universe,  their  right  to  protection  by  every  legal  bar¬ 
rier,  is  as  good  as  that  of  any  British  subject,  or  American  citizen  ever  was.  But 
the  trial  by  jury,  instead  of  being  the  guardian  of  human  liberty,  has  become  an 
engine  of  oppression.  It  has  become  the  shambles  of  the  south,  where  human 
flesh  is  transferred,  and  the  commercial  transactions  in  the  souls  and  bodies  of 
men,  are  recorded  and^ratified  under  the  forms  of  law.  Never  was  there  a  more 
shameful  and  wanton  perversion  of  a  noble  institution.  Every  juror  in  the  slave 
holding  states,  when  empannelled,  swears  to  legalize  the  property  in  human  flesh 
and  blood.  He  binds  himself  to  make  the  payment  of  a  bond,  in  slave  property, 
a  legal  payment. 

7.  Idolatries,  and  blasphemous  heresies  are  chartered,  and  corrupt  the  citizens 
under  the  sanction  of  public  law. 

8.  Persecution. — -It  has  commonly  been  said  that  this  nation  is  not  chargeable, 
as  the  despotisms  of  Europe  are,  with  the  sin  of  persecuting  the  saints  of  the 
Most  High.  Of  direct  persecution  it  never  was  guilty,  until  within  the  last  year. 

Two  Missionaries  are  now  imprisoned,  at  hard  labor,  among  the  basest  cf 
criminals,  in  the  Penitentiary,  at  Milledgeville,  Georgia.  The  pretence,  indeed, 
is,  as  it  always  has  been,  that  they  opposed  the  government  of  the  country. 

They  were  employed  to  preach  the  gospel  to  the  Indians  in  Georgia.  The 
legislature  of  that  state,  desirous  to  possess  themselves  of  the  lands  of  the  Indians, 
have  been  making  encroachments  on  their  territories,  and  employing  means  cal¬ 
culated  to  force  them  to  sell  out  their  lands  and  migrate  to  the  westward.  The 
labors  of  the  missionaries,  it  was  thought,  tended  to  increase  their  attachment  to 
their  native  soil.  The  state  legislature  passed  an  act,  declaring  that  every  white 
man  within  the  territories  of  the  Indian  tribes,  should  be  removed,  who  would 
not  swear  an  oath  of  allegiance  to  the  state  government  of  Georgia.  In  order  to 
terrify  the  Missionaries,  an  armed  force  was  sent  to  the  Missionary  station: — 
The  Missionaries  were  dragged  by  violence  from  their  field  of  labor.  Mr.  Wor¬ 
cester,  one  of  them,  was  a  post-master  under  the  United  States ;  on  this  ground, 
the  judge  before  whom  he  was  brought,  dismissed  him.  But  application  was 
made  to  the  Post-master  General,  Mr.  Worcester  was  dismissed  from  office,  and 
he,  with  Mr.  Butler,  was  ordered  to  swear  an  oath  of  allegiance  to  the  Constitu¬ 
tion  of  Georgia,  which  embodies  slavery  in  several  of  its  provisions.  The  Mis- 
•  sionaries  refused  to  swear  the  oath,  on  various  grounds,  among  which  one  was, 
that  the  government  of  Georgia  had  no  right  to  demand  of  them  the  oath,  as  they 
were  citizens  of  the  United  States.  This  is  certainly  safe  ground.  For  their  re¬ 
fusal  to  swear  an  oath  which  they  plead  was  against  their  conscientious  sense  of 
duty,  they  have  been  condemned  to  the  Penitentiary,  for  the  space  of  four  years, 
where  they  are  now  suffering,  among  infamous  felons.  With  this  act  of  perse¬ 
cution,  both  the  government  of  Georgia  and  the  National  Government,  ^re 
chargeable.  It  is  evident  that  the  government  of  the  United  States  removed  the 
Missionary  from  office,  in  order  thereby  to  deliver  him  over  to  the  Georgia  per¬ 
secutors. 

It  is  somewhat  to  be  feared,  that  the  government  will  make  still  further  en¬ 
croachments  on  the  liberties  of  the  church,  assailing  one  denomination  after  ano¬ 
ther,  under  the  notion,  that  all  will  not  unite  in  defence  of  one  member.  In  this 
they  will  err. 

Men  cry  out,  Church  and  State,  through  pretence  that  they  fear  persecution. 
But  in  the  sufferings  of  the  Georgia  Missionaries,  we  have  the  whole  evil — per¬ 
secution — which  men  profess  to  dread,  in  the  senseless  clamor  about  Church  and 
State. 

Of  the  land  which  has  thus  dishonored  God,  Messiah  the  Prince  says,  as  he 
fid  to  Israel,  by  Isaiah  the  Prophet: — u  Hear, O  heavens,  and  give  ear,  0  earth; 


34 


I  have  nourished  and  brought  up  children,  but  they  have  rebelled  against  me. — - 
Ah!  sinfnl  nation,  people  laden  with  iniquity  !’* 

Some  one  perhaps,  may  say,  these  are  evils,  but  why  exhibit  them  ?  Is  it  not 
more  pleasant  to  dwell  on  all  that  is  good,  in  the  institutions  of  the  land?  Un- 
donbtedly  it  is  :  but  how  shall  we  be  reminded  of  the  necessity  of  being  hum¬ 
bled  before  God,  for  these  sins — of  seeking  pardon  for  national  transgressions, 
through  the  blood  of  that  Redeemer  who  has  been  dishonored  ;  and  of  reforming 
the  evils  which  debase  so  many,  and  provoke  the  wrath  of  Almighty  God,  un¬ 
less  “  the  voice  be  lifted  up  like  a  trumpet,  to  cry  aloud  and  not  to  spare  ?” 

After  all  there  is  no  reason  to  be  dispirited  in  view  of  these  evils.  “The  Lord 
is  in  Zion,  great  and  high  above  all  people.”  Prince  Messfah,  whose  covenant, 
entered  into  by  our  fathers,  this  land  has  violated,  whose  crown  it  has  trampled 
into  dust,  and  whose  church  it  has  despised,  and  whose  enemies  it  has  honored, 
has  an  arm  that  is  full  of  pow^r ;  and  he  will  plead  liis  own  cause.  He  will  sub¬ 
due  the  people  to  allegiance  ;  “  for  the  rod  of  his  strength  goeth  forth  out  of  Zi¬ 
on.”  “  The  king's  heart  is  in  his  hand,  and  he  turneth  it  as  the  rivers  of  water, 
whithersoever  he  will.” 

Of  all  the  nations  of  the  wTorld,  none  has  partaken  more  amply  of  the  divine 
bounty,  than  these  United  States.  The  sins  of  the  nation  are,  indeed,  aggravated, 
but  the  divine  goodness  has  not  been  withdrawn  from  us.  Though  when  “  God 
cometh  out  of  his  place  to  punish  terribly  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth,”  we  shall 
not  escape  the  rod  of  chastisement,  yet  we  may  hope  that  the  visitation  will  be 
in  mercy.  *•  The  remnant  shall  be  affrighted,  and  give  glory  to  God.”  In  this 
commonwealth,  the  exercises  of  governmeut,  by  the  representatives  of  the  peo¬ 
ple,  has  given  security  to  liberty  and  property  :  and  has  been  productive  of  great 
national  prosperity.  This  principle  of  governing  by  the  will  of  the  majority,  is 
not,  indeed,  sufficient  to  make  a  magistracy  the  ordinance  of  God,  or  to  secure 
for  it  the  divine  approbation.  The  government  of  the  ten  tribes  of  Israel,  after 
their  revolt  from  the  house  of  Doyid,  when  Jeroboam  was  elected  President  by 
a  majority  of  the  people,  was  not  the  ordinance  of  God.  For  God  himself  says 
of  this  deed  of  that  people  :  “  They  have  set  up  kings,  but  not  by  me  :  they  havr* 
made  princes,  and  I  knew  it  not.”  Hosea  viii.  4.  They  had  neither  the  divine 
warrant  nor  approbation,  for  what  they  did  in  the  constitution  of  their  govern¬ 
ment  ;  and  yet  it  was  the  doing  of  all  the  people.  That  throne  “  decreed  iniquity 
by  a  laic”  in  settingup  the  calyes  at  Han  and  Bethel ;  therefore,  “  God  had  no 
fellowship  with  it.”  Psal.  xciv.  20.  The  government  by  the  majority  was  good 
in  principle ;  but  the  multitude  did  evil.  On  the  success  of  this  principle  of 
self-government,  by  the  representatives  of  the  people,  depend  the  liberties  of  the 
nations.  To  wrest  this  right  from  the  hands  of  the  despots  of  the  earth  the 
people  of  the  old  world  are  putting  forth,  in  various  forms,  their  energies.  It  is 
this  conflict  between  liberty  and  despotism,  that  convulses  the  civilized  nations 
of  Europe,  with  revolutionary  movements.  The  example  of  these  states  is  ex¬ 
hibited,  in  God's  providence,  to  the  whole  world,  that  the  friends  of  liberty  and 
man,  may  be  animated  to  perseverance.  This  encourages  the  hope  that  Mes¬ 
siah,  the  depository  of  the  mercies  of  the  Godhead,  will  not  abandon  our  land 
for  its  many  sins,  and  that  he  wTill  dispense  to  us  pardon,  though  he  will  take 
vengeance  on  our  sinful  deeds. 

Besides,  there  is  some  reason  to  believe,  that  the  people  were  not  so  bad  as  a 
few  practical  atheists,  into  whose  hands  the  management  of  the  national  affairs 
fell,  immediately  after  the  revolution.  These  men  voted  God  out  of  the  Con¬ 
stitution.  and  discarded  all  moral  qualifications  for  office.  But  the  people,  pend¬ 
ing  the  election  of  Mr.  Jefferson  to  the  office  of  President,  adopted  a  test,  i  he 
opponents  of  that  gentleman,  insisted  that  he  was  an  infidel,  and  therefore  not  to 
be  honored  with  the  highest  office  in  the  gift  of  the  people.  His  friends  admit¬ 
ted  the  doctrine  that  a  deist  ought  not  to  be  President;  but  denied  the  charge 


35 


■>.  .  %  '  j  »  *  *+  *■  •  n  •  •  #  ’••‘o'*  ’  .  ** 

against  Mr.  Jeffiefsoh.  His  Notes  on  Virginia,  are  essentially  deistical.  But 
comparatively  few  h&d  read  them.  The  people,  many  thousands  of  Christians; 
did  not  believe  the  charge,  and  thinking  it  a  slander  of  his  political  enemies,  they 
voted  for  him.  Had  the  people  known  his  malevolent  opposition  to  the  Bible, 
truth,  church  and  worship  of  God,  as  it  is  now  known,  the  writer  believes  that 
he  never  would  have  been  President  of  the  United  States.  That  very  contest 
rendered  deism  forever  unpopular  in  this  nat  ion. 

Many  people  of  the  middle,  western,  southern,  and  perhaps  in  the  northern 
states,  objected  to  Mr.  J.  Q,  Adams’  being  President,  on  the  ground  that  he  was 
reputed  to  be  a  Unitarian. 

With  what  vehement,  but  honest  zeal,  was  it  plead,  by  many  distinguished 
men,  that  Gen.  Jackson  ought  to  be  considered  disqualified  for  the  office  of  Presi¬ 
dent,  because  he  was  chargeable  with  duelling,  and  profane  swearing.  His  friends 
did  not  plead  that  he  never  had  been  guilty  of  these  immoralities,  nor  that  a  du¬ 
elist  or  prafane  swearer  is  a  fit  person  to  be  the  first  magistrate  of  the  United 
States.  But  they  affimed  that  he  had  repented  and  reformed.  How  often  has  it 
been  reiterated  that  Mr.  Clay's  fondness  for  the  card  table,  &c.  &c.,  unfits  him  for 
the  presidential  chair? 

Within  a  few  years,  a  political  party  has  arisen  within  this  state,  and  has  ex¬ 
tended  steadily  for  some  years  its  numbers  and  power,  by  an  appeal  to  the  moral 
sense  of  this  nation,  on  the  necessity  of  moral  qualifications  for  civil  office. — 
This  is  the  distinctive  feature  of  Anti-Masonry .  It  asserts  that  any  man,  who 
swears  and  bolds  himself  bound  by  the  impious  and  cruel  oaths  of  the  masonic 
order,  is  thereby  disqualified  for  civil  office.  They  appeal  to  the  very  same  gen¬ 
eral  principle,  that  w7as  invoked  in  the  presidential  canvass  preceding  Mr.  Jef¬ 
ferson’s  election,  and  assented  to  by  all  parties,  that  immorality  in  principle  or 
practice,  disqualifies  for  office.  It  is  said  by  some  to  be  a  very  narrow  basis,  on 
which  to  erect  a  party.  The  people  do  not  think  so.  One  hundred  thousand 
Voters  of  the  state  of  New  York,  a  majority  of  the  state  of  Vermont,  and  month¬ 
ly  increasing  thousands  in  other  states,  enrol  themselves  among  Anti  Masons. — 
Anti-Masonry  employs  more  than  one  hundred  and  fifty  printing  presses,  issues 
annually  many  thousands  of  volumes,  and  has  enlisted  the  best  talents  of  the 
nation.  The  common  moral  sense  of  the  community  will  act  on  the  principle, 
that  immoral  oaths  unfit  those  who  swear  them  for  being  the  public  conserva¬ 
tors  of  social  order.  With  such  a  basis,  with  so  many  presses,  with  such  advo¬ 
cates  as  a  Maynard,  a  Spencer,  a  Rush,  a  Wirt,  and  a  Granger,  its  course  is  evi¬ 
dently  onward.  What  is  perhaps  somewhat  unusual,  its  zeal  increases  with  its 
numbers.  Whatever  some  may  intend’  the  great  body  of  the  people  who  con¬ 
stitute  this  party,  are  determined  that  the  rulers  of  the  nation  shall  be  moral 
men — and  they  will,  in  this  matter,  prevail;  for  Heaven  is  on  their  side.  The 
effects  of  the  discussion  of  this  interesting  topic  must  be  salutary. 

We  are  encouraged  too,  to  persevere  in  efforts  to  accomplish  a  reform  of  the 
national  sins,  which  provoke  Heaven  s  anger,  by  another  feature  in  the  aspect  of 
the  times.  Tee  Holy  Scriptures  are  diffused  through  all  ranks  in  society;  while 
in  the  multiplication  of  schools,  and  the  increasing  interest  in  education,  adds 
every  month  to  the  number  of  those  who  can  read  the  Bible.  Soon,  it  may  be 
hoped,  there  will  not  be  a  family  in  the  land  without  a  Bible,  nor  a  member  of 
the  household  not  qualified  to  read  its  pages.  Every  leaf  of  that  blessed  book  teach¬ 
es  the  claims  of  Messiah,  the  Prince  ;  and  sheds  light  on  the  duty  of  the  citizens. 
Bible  classes  are  multiplied  ;  and  old  and  young  are  learning  to  know  more  and 
mere  of  the  Scriptures.  The  public  mind  will  soon  become  so  enlightened  by 
the  Word  and  Spiri;  of  the  Lord,  that  the  atheist  and  the  deist  shall  be  no  longer 
able  to  sustain  their  power,  which  is  as  much  supported  by  moral  darkness,  as 
the  thrones  of  tyrants  are,  by  the  ignorance  of  their  subjects. 


36 


Let  no  reader  of  these  pages,  then,  be  discouraged.  The  wicked  may  be  great 
in  power,  and  spread  like  the  green  bay  tree^-some  professed  friends  of  Prince 
Messiah,  but  real  panders  of  power,  may  flatter  the  unholy,  the  impious  great, 
to  the  perdition  of  both — some  men,  righteous  by  profession.  “  may  stretch  forth 
their  hand  to  iniquity” — some  may  prove  recreant  to  the  testimony  of  Jesus; 
.  but  after  all,  “the  rod  of  the  wicked  shall  not  rest  on  the  lot  of  the  righteous,” 
Lord  Jesus,  “  Thy  kingdom  come.” — Amen. 


NOTE. 

As  an  item  of  intelligence,  we  copy  the  following  article  from  the  Boston 
Christian  Herald,  Vol.  IV.,  No.  159,  January  11th,  1832; 

“  Georgia. — Much  has  been  said  of  late  of  the  excentricity,  extravagance  and 
injustice,  of  the  proceedings  of  the  Governors  and  Legislatures  of  Georgia.  So 
supremely  ridiculous,  as  well  as  outrageous,  have  these  proceedings,  in  some  cas¬ 
es  been,  that  the  Journals  in  this  part  of  the  country  seem  to  be  at  a  loss  to  de¬ 
termine  how  to  treat  them-^-whether  as  serious,  or  a  genuine  burlesque  on  legis¬ 
lation. 

“  With  regard  to  the  Cherokees,  and  the  imprisonment  of  the  Missionaries, 
the  conduct  of  Georgia  has  excited  one  general  burst  of  abhorrence  and  indigna¬ 
tion — too  great  for  language  to  express.  This,  with  the  corresponding  conduct 
of  our  National  Administration,  has  made  the  patriot  sick,  and  the  American 
ashamed  of  the  name  of  his  country. 

The  late  proceedings  of  the  Georgia  Senate,  in  offering  a  reward  for  the  ab¬ 
duction,  or  in  other  words  for  the  head  of  Mr.  Garrison,  the  able  and  worthy 
editor  of  the  Liberator,  for  advocating  liberty  and  the  abolition  of  slavery,  carry 
refinement  to  the  ne  plus  ultra  in  southern  legislation.  A  reward  offered  for  the 
life  of  a  man,  for  advocating  the  cause  of  liberty  in  an  independent  state,  a  thou¬ 
sand  miles  distant!  And  this  too  in  a  country  boasting  of  its  liberty,  equality 
and  republicanism — a  country  whose  foundation  maxim  is,  ‘all  men  are  born 
free  and  equal  !’  Who  ever  read  or  heard  of  such  disgrace  ? 

“  Let  the  Georgian  slave-holder  come  on  here  to  take  one  of  our  freemen  from 
the  cradle  of  liberty — he  might  not  be  treated,  as  a  man  w’as  treated  by  the  das¬ 
tardly  ruffians  in  Georgia  for  taking  a  ‘  Liberator’  from  the  Post  Office — ‘  tar¬ 
red,  feathered  and  ducked' — but  we  venture  to  say  he  would  find  his  l$  5,000' 
but  a  poor  reward  for  his  vain  attempt.  All  the  slave-holders  and  gold  di^girs 
of  Georgia,  and  all  the  ‘  powers'  of  the  ‘  ancient  dominions,’  of  the  Nullifies  at 
his  command,  would  not  be  able  to  efiect  the  object !  I  he  people  here  are  neither 
slaves  nor  slave-holders,  but  in  truth  what  they  profess  to  be— freemen. 


